The National Sports Commission (NSC) has banned Nigeria’s sprint queen Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor from the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games after she refused to race at the 200m event of August’s IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China.
The African and Commonwealth 100 and 200 metres champion has already ruled herself out of contention for the ongoing All Africa Games in Congo. Okagbare opted out of the 200m event in Beijing claiming she was she was injured despite already warming up.
Director General of the NSC, Al Hassan Yakmut, who spoke with the Guardian expressed his anger at Okagbare’s actions.
He said: “I was shocked when I saw Okagbare competing in the Diamond League in Zurich last Thursday. I was wondering if it was the same Okagbare who refused to compete for Nigeria in the 200m event at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China. She even opted out of Team Nigeria for the All Africa Games in Congo. Why?
“I have said it times without number that any athlete who feels too big to compete for Nigeria in the All Africa Games should not bother about the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. No athlete is bigger than Nigeria. I played volleyball for this country, so there is nothing an athlete will tell me about sports.
Meanwhile, Okagbare has sworn to come back stronger in 2016 Olympics in Rio after a disappointing showing at the World Athletics Championship last month.
In a message posted on her Facebook wall, she recalled that earlier this season she was able to record a 10.98 seconds in the 100 metres in the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shaghai, China on May 17.
Her ban is a huge set-back for a really promising career.
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