Kofar-Soro wants Team Nigeria’s dismal outing in Doha investigated

A former member of the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu Kofar-Soro has called on the Minister of Sports Sunday Dare to immediately investigate Team Nigeria’s abysmal performance in the just concluded World Athletics Championship in Doha.

The participation of Team Nigeria Athletics which returned home with only one bronze medal won by Ese Brume in Long jump was overshadowed by acrimonious relationship between the AFN and the athletes.

For instance, a mix up in registration led to the disqualification of Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru before they were reinstated in the 200m after an appeal by the AFN.

Although reinstated, they failed to shine with the former Africa’s fastest woman suffering disqualification for breach of competition rules.

And two key members of the men’s 4x100m relay team were also alleged to have shunned the race making Team Nigeria to put up a shambolic show in the event.

Kofar-Soro who wants a probe into the dismal outing in Doha also alleged that there is growing indiscipline in the AFN.

“As a former member of the AFN board, I believe strongly that something is wrong somewhere. There is increasing indiscipline in the Athletics Federation.

“For eight years, I was a member of the board and I know what we did to motivate athletes in order to extract discipline from them.

“The performance in Doha is enough reason to believe there is indiscipline among the athletes and AFN officials.

“The athletes didn’t show enough patriotism so we should ask questions to know what fuelled their lackadaisical attitude.

“The withdrawal of two key members of the men’s 4x100m team was responsible for the embarrassing failure in the event. Why did they shun the race?. Was it sabotage?,” he asked rhetorically.

The former Katsina State Director of Sports therefore said the ‘show of shame’ in Doha should be investigated and anyone found guilty should be punished to serve as a deterrent.