‘You are neither fit nor worthy to judge me’: Okagbare lashes out at Nigerian sports officials in powerful post as post-ban silence ends

Eleven months after a career-ending suspension, Blessing Okagbare, Nigeria’s most decorated female sprinter, has set social media alight with a blistering message aimed at Nigerian sports administrators. Posting on her verified Facebook page—followed by over 49,000 fans—Okagbare tore into unnamed officials, stating:
‘Imagine a Nigerian politician, especially those in the sport sector, trying to judge me. You are neither fit, nor worthy of judging me. You are not even fit nor competent for that your so-called office.’
While the statement did not name names, the tone left little doubt: Okagbare’s patience with Nigeria’s sports leadership has reached its limit.
Once revered as the face of Nigerian athletics, Okagbare’s fall from grace came swiftly. In July 2021, just hours before she was due to run the 100m semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics, the sprinter was provisionally suspended for testing positive for human growth hormone.
That blow came days after she openly criticized the disqualification of 10 Nigerian athletes from the Games due to non-compliance with anti-doping testing protocols. Her words then were sharp—targeted squarely at a system she believed failed its athletes.
By 2022, the Athletics Integrity Unit handed Okagbare an 11-year ban for multiple anti-doping violations and refusal to cooperate during investigations. The ban effectively ended the career of the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and two-time Commonwealth Games champion.
In her latest post, Okagbare seems to be responding to perceived hypocrisy—possibly from officials who once celebrated her achievements but now cast judgment on her fall. There’s also an air of betrayal, perhaps aimed at figures within the system who enabled poor governance, or those who “pampered” star athletes without upholding discipline or structure.
For close watchers of Nigerian sport, this outburst feels like a continuation of a years-long battle. Even at her peak, Okagbare was an outspoken critic of corruption, favoritism, and administrative lapses that she believed held Nigerian athletics back.
While many fans mourn the way her athletic career ended, others say she remains one of the few elite athletes to consistently call out the deep-seated issues in the system—even at great personal cost.
To some, Okagbare’s post reeks of defiance from an athlete who couldn’t face the consequences of her own actions. To others, it’s the raw honesty of a champion burned by the same system she once carried on her back.