Amusan Enquiry: World Athletics schools AFN officials on its Competition Rules

World Athletics has told Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, officials to always study the World Athletics Competition Rules book before making unfounded and disgraceful enquiries for the purpose of getting an athlete disqualified for a purported lane infringement.

The Nigerian men’s 4x400m relay team was disqualified for lane infringement in the second semifinal 4x400m relay event on Friday morning for running foul of rule 17.2.3.

The rules states that ‘each athlete shall keep within their allocated lane from start to finish and, when running on a bend, shall not step or run on or inside the left-hand lane line or in the case of the inside lane, the kerb or line marking the border of the inside of the track.’

Nigeria’s lead off runner, Ifeanyi Ojeli ran foul of the rule and this earned the Nigerians their disqualification.

Nigerian athletics officials, who have been branded incompetent by athletics watchers, thought another athlete, this time Cyrena Samba-Mayela of France had contravened the same rule when she looked to have ran out of her lane in the third 100m hurdles semifinal heat.

The French girl ran 12.52 to place fourth in the race and picked the second and final non-automatic ticket on offer for the final while Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan came in ninth in the final classification with her 12.55 run which placed her third in the first semifinal.

A disqualification for Samba-Mayela would mean Amusan picking the second non-automatic ticket.

The AFN officials thought they saw a similarity between what happened to the Nigerian 4x400m relay team and Samba-Mayela.

Instead of asking those who know, the officials exhibited their incompetence and lack of knowledge of World Athletics Competition Rules by writing to ask World Athletics, via the Technical Information Centre, TIC, for an explanation.

The enquiry, submitted at 15.49pm, on Friday August 9, 2024, clearly over three hours after the race was run, reads thus: Enquiry and/or action requested.

‘Can we get further clarification on the 100m hurdles semifinals 3 where Cyrena Samba-Mayela strayed away from her lane in lane 6 to 5 and still advanced to the finals?’

World Athletics, via the TIC replied at 19.11pm.

‘This is no issue on a straight. When no other athlete is being jostled or obstructed. See Rule TR17.3.2. This is different than stepping on the lane in a bend,’ wrote World Athletics.

World Athletics rule on lane infringement states that in all races, if the Referee is satisfied, on the report of a Judge or Umpire or otherwise, that an athlete has infringed Rule 17.2.3 or 17.2.4 of the Technical Rules, they or in the case of a relay race, their team shall be disqualified unless..(TR17.3.2) (the athlete) steps or runs outside their lane in the straight, any straight part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump or outside the outer line of their lane on the bend.’