Nigeria's Athletics Body Under Fire for Age Manipulation Scandal
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has issued a stern query to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) concerning major discrepancies in the ages of athletes who represented the country at a recent continental championship. The global watchdog has set a deadline of January 16, 2026, for the Nigerian federation to provide satisfactory explanations and evidence.
Shocking Details of the Age Irregularities
According to the AIU's findings, a staggering 16 out of 17 athletes Nigeria featured at the 2025 African U-18/U-20 Championships in Abeokuta have multiple and conflicting dates of birth listed in different competitions. The AIU insists the AFN must produce authentic documents like birth certificates, passports, or school records to verify the true ages of these athletes.
The annex from the AIU reveals specific and alarming cases:
- Juliana Ademola Temitope was registered as born in 2005 in earlier events but listed as 2006 at the African Juniors.
- Adeola Adenji Muideen had a 2004 birthdate in Lagos competitions but an astonishing 2009 date elsewhere.
- Esther Aiffigbo competed in 2025 as an athlete born in 2006, while her World Athletics profile indicates 2002.
- Ibrahim Ajibare holds no fewer than four different birth years, ranging from 2002 to 2009.
- Emmanuel Blessing was entered as born in 2007 at the Juniors but as 2002 at the Asaba Trials.
Experts state these inconsistencies are definitely not clerical errors but deliberate manipulations aimed at fielding overage athletes in junior competitions, which is a direct violation of the World Athletics Technical Rules and the Integrity Code of Conduct.
AFN's Response and a Recurring Scandal
When contacted by journalists, the AFN Technical Director, Gabriel Okon, did not respond to calls or messages. However, a board member, Dr. Henry Okorie, stated from Enugu that the federation's board was unaware of the AIU's notice, claiming he was hearing about the query for the first time.
This incident marks the second time in less than two years that Nigeria has been embroiled in such a controversy. The first major scandal occurred under the former Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku. The recurrence under the current leadership points to a persistent culture of negligence at the highest levels of Nigerian athletics administration.
Potential Consequences for Nigerian Athletics
The AIU has emphasized that such practices severely undermine the integrity and honesty of athletic competitions. They cast a long shadow of doubt over Nigeria's commitment to fair play in global sports. If the AFN fails to submit credible and contemporaneous documents by the January deadline, the country will face a formal investigation.
Such a probe would not only tarnish the reputation of the implicated athletes but also further damage Nigeria's standing in international athletics. The nation risks sanctions and a loss of trust that could affect future participations and funding. The clock is ticking for the AFN to act decisively and transparently to resolve this integrity crisis.
