Favour Ofili not entered in to 100m dash at 2024 Paris Olympics, to miss event

Favour Ofili was preparing to run in the 100m dash at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday after qualifying for the event. However, a key mistake meant she will not be able to participate.

Ofili was not entered in to the race, meaning she won’t be able to compete alongside two of her fellow Nigerian track stars, she announced. The former LSU standout said the issue stemmed from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Nigerian Anti-Doping Committee failing to register her to participate.

Ofili’s next scheduled event is the 200-meter dash. She also recalled a situation during the Tokyo Olympics in which 14 athletes from Nigera couldn’t participate due to testing issues.

“It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games,” Ofili wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what?

“Please remember, in the last Olympic Games I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested, which made 14 Nigeria athletes that qualified to not compete. Now THIS…… If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future! Next one is the 200meters, I HOPE IM ENTERED.”

Ofili ran track at LSU from 2021-23 and ended her time with the Tigers on a high note. She was part of the 4×100-meter relay which won the SEC outdoor track and field championships, and as an individual, she turned in a 22.58-second 200-meter dash to win that event.

All told, during her career in Baton Rouge, Favour Ofili won six SEC titles and was a six-time first team All-SEC selection in various events. She was also a 13-team first team All-American by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Ofili qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Tom Jones Invitational in April. That day, she ran a 22.23-second 200-meter dash, which came in as the No. 4 time in the world and helped punch her ticket to Paris. It’s her second trip to the Olympics, but she couldn’t participate in Tokyo in 2020 due to testing issues with the Nigerian team.

Athletic events get underway Thursday in Paris, and the first round of the 200-meter dash is set for Aug. 4. It will get underway at 4:55 a.m. ET.