Somalia Suspends Sports Official Over Slow Sprinter

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Questioning Transparency and Fairness

The sports world was left stunned when a novice sprinter, Nasra Abubakar Ali, representing Somalia, took part in an international sports competition, the World University Games in China, and finished the 100m race almost twice as long as the winner. The Somali Ministry of Youth and Sport conducted an investigation, revealing that Ali is “not a sports person, nor a runner.” This led to the suspension of Khadijo Aden Dahir, the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, for alleged nepotism and misuse of power.

The investigation further exposed that a sports body called the Somali University Sports Association, responsible for selecting athletes, does not even exist. The ministry vowed to pursue legal action against those involved in the “falsification” of the sports group. However, the connection between Dahir and Ali remains unclear.

A video of the race went viral, showing the athlete far behind and eventually playfully skipping to complete the race. Ali’s time of 21.81 seconds was more than 10 seconds slower than the winner, leading to embarrassment for the Sports Minister, Mohamed Barre Mohamud. The incident has raised questions among Somalis about why an inexperienced athlete was chosen to represent the country.

The Somali Olympic Association has temporarily suspended Khadijo Aden Dahir, the Chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Association, from athletics. This decision was made after the Minister of Sports and Youth directed the Somali Olympic Association to suspend her for sending an… pic.twitter.com/S56B3avc47

— SONNA (@SONNALIVE) August 2, 2023

The Association of Somali Universities denied appointing any athlete to compete in the event, adding to the confusion surrounding Ali’s selection. The Somali Athletics Federation has agreed to conduct an investigation into the selection process.

This is not the first time Somalia has faced controversy regarding athlete selection in international events. In 2016, another athlete, Maryan Nuh Muse, participated in the 400m race at the Rio Olympics but finished with a sluggish time of 1.10.14, far from the average time for the event. Despite criticism, Muse was applauded for her determination to participate and defy the challenges faced by Somali women in high-level sports.

The incident has left the sports community in Somalia questioning the integrity of athlete selection processes and calling for more transparency and accountability in sports management. As the investigation unfolds, the country seeks to rectify the situation and ensure a fair and credible representation in future international competitions.