AFN Technical Director, Adeleye queried over Doha fiasco

To face special disciplinary committee       
The youth and Sports Ministry n has queried the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Technical Director, Sunday Adeleye over his role in the initial disqualification of sprinters Divine Oduduru and Blessing Okagbare from the IAAF World Championships following their failure to line up for the 100m events at the just-concluded championships in Doha, Qatar.                               

The athletes’ failure to run after they were duly registered for the race contravened IAAF competition’s rule 142.4, which penalty was expulsion from further participation in the championships.                   

They were, however, reinstated on appeal as the IAAF discovered that Adeleye, who was accredited as the technical delegate for Team Nigeria and whose duty it was to confirm Nigeria’s entries during the championships, did not do his job properly.      Following the uproar the incident generated in the athletics community, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare ordered Adeleye’s immediate recall from Doha.

In a letter addressed to the former Police Corporal on Wednesday, the ministry queried Adeleye over the manner he handled Nigeria’s affairs in Doha, asking him to explain circumstances that led to the fiasco.

“The minister is quiet serious about this because he believes the way this is handled will set the tone for what is expected of all officials in the discharge of their duties,” a source close to the Minister said. He added that the minister is determined to ensure qualified and competent personnel are deployed in positions for efficiency.             

“What happened in Doha has exposed the problems in most of the sporting federations and the minister, a stickler for excellence, wants square pegs to always be in square holes,” the source added.Athletics watchers had in 2017 queried the move by AFN President, Ibrahim Gusau to make Adeleye the technical director of the federation, arguing that the position was meant for trained officiating officials and coaches. 
 
“Part of the roles of a technical director is to evaluate performances, as well as programmes of coaches registered with the federation.  If you are not a trained coach, how do you evaluate performances or programmes drawn up by coaches?

“It is like elevating a bank clerk to the position of Central Bank Governor. It is abnormal and I hope the Sports Minister can help correct this so that we can see the sports grow,” Patience Itanyi, a trained coach and former African champion in the Heptathlon, who also represented Nigeria at the 2000 Olympics, said.