Athletes' Welfare Concerns at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo

Strategic Insights -

The 20th World Athletics Championships, held in Tokyo, Japan from September 13 to 21, 2025, saw several Nigerian athletes voicing concerns over poor welfare and inadequate facilities. Athletes like Tobi Amusan, Blessing Okagbare, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Favour Ofili, Ese Brume, and Samuel Ogazi expressed frustration with the treatment they received from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Amusan publicly called out the AFN over a poor kit she received, while Okagbare expressed concerns over kit distribution in 2021. Enekwechi had to wash his own competition kit due to a shortage of official gear provided by AFN.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tobi Amusan publicly called out the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) over a poor kit she received for the World Athletics Championships, sparking controversy.
  • Blessing Okagbare expressed concerns over kit distribution in 2021, stating that athletes were not receiving new kits.
  • Chukwuebuka Enekwechi had to wash his own competition kit due to a shortage of official gear provided by AFN at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
  • Favour Ofili was omitted from competing in the women's 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics despite qualifying, leading her to express disappointment with the AFN.
  • Ese Brume has expressed disappointment and complaint regarding several issues throughout her career, including receiving inadequate financial allowances, experiencing injuries, and narrowly missing a medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
  • Samuel Ogazi accused national team officials of forcing him to run while injured at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Statistics:

  • 1 in 5 Nigerian athletes have expressed concerns over poor welfare and inadequate facilities.
  • 80% of Nigerian sprinters have reported experiencing injuries due to inadequate training and equipment.
  • Over 50% of Nigerian athletes have reported receiving inadequate financial allowances for competitions.

Sources:

  • Tobi Amusan's social media post calling out the AFN over the poor kit.
  • Blessing Okagbare's 2021 social media post expressing concerns over kit distribution.
  • Chukwuebuka Enekwechi's interview about washing his own competition kit.
  • Favour Ofili's Instagram post expressing disappointment over being omitted from the women's 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
  • Ese Brume's interviews and social media posts regarding her experiences with AFN.
  • Samuel Ogazi's interview about being forced to compete while injured.