AFN may be charged for competition manipulation by AIU following Onojuvwevwo’s mysterious appearance in women’s 200m final at Nigerian Championships
The Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, may charge Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, for competition manipulation after Ella Onojuvwevwo was mysteriously included in the women’s 200m final at the 2024 Nigerian track and field championships which ended Tuesday despite the 19 year old not competing in the heats.
Nigerians were shocked to see the Louisiana State University undergraduate student in the line up for the final of the event instead of Rosemary Chukwuma who qualified for the final as the fastest (23.35) in the semifinal heats on Tuesday morning.
There was no information regarding a wild card for any athlete and the 200m event is certainly not Onojuvwevwo’s favourite event that would have necessitated her getting a wild card.
AIU may see this as competition manipulation as the act goes against fair competition it has been preaching.
The body saddled with the responsibility of ensuring fairness in competition and defending the integrity of the sport of athletics defines Competition Manipulation as ‘intentional actions aimed at improperly altering the outcome of a sports competition.
‘Athletes, coaches, judges, or referees may knowingly underperform or make deliberate decisions affecting the result or course of a competition to gain an undue benefit, whether sporting or financial. This unethical practice undermines fair play and the integrity of sports events.’
World Athletics’ article 4.1 of Manipulation of sports competition rules states inter-alia that competition manipulation as ‘an intentional arrangement, act or omission aimed at an improper alteration of a result or the course of an event or competition in order to remove all or part of the unpredictable nature of the event or competition with a view to obtaining an undue benefit for oneself or for others.’
David Howman, The Chair, AIU, says keeping competition in athletics fair for all is a top priority for the body.
The unfairness in this case is in denying Olaniyi Victoria who ran 24.69 to come third in the third semifinal heat the opportunity to run. The 16 year old could have been drafted as the next best qualifier if the AFN wanted to replace Chukwuma who did not come out for the final.
Ezechukwu Miracle Oluebube was also denied a podium appearance by the action of the AFN as Onojuvwevwo is now on record as coming third in the event.
The AFN has not come out to explain why Onojuvwevwo was drafted to replace Chukwuma instead of Olaniyi. Observers opine this monumental technical error in a competition approved by World Athletics and organized in accordance with World Athletics’ competition rules may have been due to the naivety and incompetence of the technical managers at the AFN.
