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AGAIN, SOUTH AFRICA BLASTS SEBASTIAN COE, IAAF

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BY JAMES DIAMOND

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has attacked the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and its President Sebastian Coe for repeatedly commenting on Caster Semenya’s appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), claiming their statements put them in breach of confidentiality agreements.

The CAS is deliberating on what it has labelled one of the most “pivotal” cases in its history and a verdict is expected by the end of this month.

Semenya, a double Olympic and triple world champion over 800 metres, is challenging the IAAF which is hoping to bring in new rules on female participation.

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Caster Semenya of South Africa

The IAAF claims the South African and other female runners with high testosterone levels, who compete between 400m and the mile, must either take medication or compete against men.

According to the IAAF, this is to create a level playing field but the 28-year-old Semenya and others have argued the testosterone in her body is naturally occurring and so to ban her would be unfair.

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The IAAF was first accused of breaking rules related to the case when prior to the start of proceedings in Lausanne, the governing body released a list of expert witnesses it was set to call.

Semenya’s lawyers described the release as a “clear breach” of confidentiality rules and labelled it an attempt to influence public opinion, before releasing their own list of witnesses the next day.

Now, ASA has accused the IAAF of breaking rules once again, after its President Sebastian Coe gave an interview to the Daily Telegraph in Australia, in which he said their proposed rule was necessary to protect the women’s category.

“The reason we have gender classification is because if you didn’t then no woman would ever win another title or another medal or break another record in our sport,” he was quoted as saying.

The ASA has since released a statement saying it was “not amused” by his comments.

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“’The concern arises from confidentiality agreements entered into by the parties to the arbitration, namely the IAAF, Caster Semenya and ASA,” said ASA in a statement published on its website.

“Notwithstanding such an agreement, the IAAF has on several occasions (in breach of the agreement) issued public statements on matters relating to, and arising from, the regulations.

“ASA would have preferred an open and transparent hearing of the matter given the (legitimate) global interest therein, but was persuaded that medically sensitive issues, and in particular, privacy issues relating to Ms Semenya, would arise during the proceedings, and that a closed and confidential hearing was appropriate.

“Notwithstanding the agreement, the IAAF has on several occasions issued media releases and its President has seen fit to comment publicly on matters relating to the regulations.

“A few days ago, the following remarks were attributed to Seb Coe that appeared in the Australian Daily Telegraph: ‘The reason we have gender classification is that if you didn’t then no woman would ever run another title or another medal or break another record in our sport’.

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“We support the rebuke issued by Ms Semenya’s lawyers. 

“We agree that the DSD [differences of sexual development] regulations are discriminatory on a number of bases including birth, sex, gender, physical appearance and the fact they are restricted to specific events (namely 400m to a mile).

“Ms Semenya was born, raised and has participated in athletics as a woman and identifies as a woman.

“The regulations attempt to classify her and other female DSDs as ‘biologically male’ or as having a male ‘sports sex’.

“The regulations are nothing other than a further attempt (like other scientifically discredited attempts in the past) at so-called gender verification testing.”

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Semenya’s lawyers said Coe had “reopened old wounds” with his comments, reiterating that the South African is a woman and suggesting that therefore, to ban her from women’s competition in order to protect women does not make sense.

ASA took the opportunity in their statement, as Semenya’s lawyers also did, to separate Semenya’s case from the issue of transgender athletes in sport.

“Any public comment or discourse linking the transgender debate to the pending matter before the CAS is unhelpful, serving only to reinforce by implication a false position that DSD athletes are biologically male,” they said.

“The delay in handing down the CAS award [due originally by March 26], is entirely due to the IAAF seeking to amend the regulations post the CAS hearing.

“This necessitated a further exchange of written argument between the parties.

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“ASA calls upon the IAAF and its President, Seb Coe, to refrain from further public comment pending the outcome of the CAS award due towards the end of April 2019.

“In doing so, ASA, however, respects the right of third parties and the media to openly debate issues arising from the IAAF’s DSD Regulations.

“It is indeed in the public interest that they do so.

“ASA hopes it is done responsibly and sensitively with due regard to the rights of the parties concerned, especially that of Ms Semenya.”

In response, the IAAF told insidethegames it agreed that third parties and the media had a right to openly debate the issue “and that it should be done responsibly and sensibly”.

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“It is with this in mind that the IAAF continues to respond to media enquires on the issue, on statements released and, where necessary, correcting incorrect information,” the IAAF said.

In response to ASA’s accusation that it was the IAAF’s fault a verdict had been delayed, an IAAF spokesperson referred to a statement released by the CAS on March 21, in which it was said all parties had agreed on the delay.

“We are unable to share evidence and information provided to CAS whilst deliberations are ongoing,” the IAAF added.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Athletics

TOKYO 2025: Tiny Nations, Big Triumphs: What Nigeria Must Learn from Jamaica and Botswana

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BY DANLADI BAKO

Sports and indeed global athletics have been the cynosure of quite a huge community of track and field afficionados in the last nine days at the Tokyo World Athletics finals.

The global athletics fraternity congregates annually to celebrate new world beaters and champions.

Athletes spend a large amount of time, energy and resources to train, attracting the best coaches and utilizing some of the high impact facilities in developing qualifying times for their individual events.

So many nations facilitate the upscaling and upgrading of their athletes’ mentality, physique and performance standing through investments in the training and welfare of their high-profile athletes by providing grants, scholarships and appreciable reward systems.

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These have been in short supply in Nigeria and indeed within the developing world where the priorities of most governments are education, health, poverty and so many other development challenges.

However, the benefits of investing in sports are unquantifiable especially on the world global diplomatic stage, unassailable visibility and an incredible reputation unachievable in so many other areas of human existence. In the eighties and 90s the Americans literally ruled the sprints with female 100 meters legend Florence Griffiths – Joyner and 400 meters world champion Michael Johnson.

Just like America used the movies to show Americans as the world best, sportsmen like basketball’s Michael Jordan and boxing’s Muhammad Ali put America on the pinnacle of human capacity for endurance, determination, strategic planning and near perfect execution.

America might have the size and population above 200 million so it’s success can be expected, however Jamaica an island of 150 miles by 50 miles has gone beyond exporting Reggae’s global icons like Bob Marley and Alton Ellis to producing 100 meters legends Usain Bolt, Sherry Ann Fraser-Price and Marlene Ottey thereby winning international recognition and inevitable public reckoning far beyond most African countries.

Now a land locked southern African sub-continent country Botswana with less than the population of Lagos State just on Sunday won the 4 x 400 men’s relay gold at the Tokyo 2025 games even after picking a few other medals through individual athletes Tebogo et al.

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The Tokyo games have come and gone with Tobi Amusan putting Nigeria on the medals table with her 100 meters Silver medal.  Ajayi’s efforts in the 100 meters men’s final was also commendable.

For me the highest point was the super- human diminutive Kenyan Faith Kipyegon in the 1500 metres clinching gold and 5000 metres silver.

Another great spectacle was the exploits of American idol Noah Lyle who anchored the last leg of the 4 x100 metres gold winning quartet.

Lyle won the 200 metres gold as well becoming one of the audaciuos and eye-catching supreme athletes of Tokyo 2025. Mention must be made of Sweden’s Armand Mondo who broke the pole vault world record thrice in two days.

So when and how would Nigeria get to these towering heights of conquering the world?

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The fact is that we once had Olympic and World Athletics finalists like Innocent Egbunike (400m) , Chidi Imo (100 and 200m), Yusuf Alli (Long jump) and Falilat Ogunkoya (400m) although it was the American University collegiate structure that groomed them to become world beaters with little or no input from the home government.

Once in a long while a training grant of $50,000 gets handed to them in preparation for Olympic games to pay their coaches and for utilizing training facilities abroad. Even Ezekiel Nathaniel and Oyinkansola Ajayi are still beneficiaries of the American University collegiate structure.

The aforementioned names who also schooled and trained in the United States are still very much around especially Yusuf Alli, Falilat and Mary Onyali.

The authorities need to device the appropriate strategies to achieve podium standings in the nearest immediate future.

All the products of the National Youth Games and the School Sports Federation games should be drafted into a growth enhancement program, hire some of the best Athletics coaches from around the world and ensure the construction and maintenance of high-performance pitches and gymnasia.

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The Sports Federations must be populated with patriotic and passionate sports men who are brimming with enthusiasm, desire and creativity.

President Tinubu did not only resuscitate the National Sports Commission, he gave an unprecedented 12 billion naira to the Sports Ministry for AFCON and other tournaments earlier this year so we have a listening President who can restore our lost glory in sports and athletics in particular. Nigeria must reclaim its podium standing capability as soon as possible.

Danladi Bako, OON was Senior Special Assistant to former Minister of Youth and Sports as well as one-time Chairman Sokoto State Football Association.

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Athletics

Nigeria’s Mixed Fortunes at World Championships: A Look Back from Doha to Tokyo

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By KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s silver medal finish at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships once again highlighted the country’s roller-coaster fortunes on the global stage.

While the podium placement ensured Nigeria did not return empty-handed, the overall medal count has remained stagnant in recent years compared to other rising athletics nations.

At the Doha 2019 Championships, Team Nigeria endured a barren outing, failing to register a single medal. Three years later in Oregon 2022, Ese Brume broke the drought with a stunning gold in the women’s long jump — Nigeria’s first-ever world title in the event.

The momentum continued into Budapest 2023, where world record holder Tobi Amusan claimed silver in the women’s 100m hurdles, cementing Nigeria’s presence among the elite hurdlers. In Tokyo this year, the nation repeated the feat in the same event, albeit again settling for silver.

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A comparative glance at the last four editions shows a troubling trend: Nigeria has not improved its medal tally, with just one medal each in 2022, 2023, and 2025.

This raises urgent questions about depth, consistency, and investment in talent development beyond the few star performers.

Comparative Medal Table (2019–2025)

  • Doha 2019 – 0 medals (No standout performance)
  • Oregon 2022 – 1 Gold (Ese Brume, Women’s Long Jump)
  • Budapest 2023 – 1 Silver (Tobi Amusan, 100m Hurdles)
  • Tokyo 2025 – 1 Silver (100m Hurdles)

The pattern underscores Nigeria’s reliance on individual brilliance rather than systemic excellence. Athletics analysts argue that unless the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) strengthens grassroots programs, invests in coaching and sports science, and improves athlete welfare, the country risks stagnating while competitors from Africa and beyond surge ahead.

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Athletics

Nigeria Set To End Tokyo 2025 With One Silver; A Call for AFN Reforms

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria wrapped up its campaign at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a single silver medal, finishing joint 25th on the overall medals table with eight others on the medals tables as the curtain was drawing on the championship.

The position may even deepen at the end of the day.

Star hurdler Tobi Amusan delivered the country’s only podium finish, placing second in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Despite the modest medal haul, several Nigerian athletes impressed with near-misses and record-breaking efforts.

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Ezekiel Nathaniel narrowly missed out on a medal in the men’s 400m hurdles, finishing fourthin a national record time. Kanyinsola Ajayi also reached the men’s 100m final, settling for sixth, while shot put specialist Chukwuebuka Enekwechi placed fifthin his event.

Nigeria fielded 15 athletes – eight men and seven women – in Tokyo. While the performances reflected resilience, the lack of medals beyond Amusan’s silver highlighted gaps in preparation and depth.

Analysts point to the absence of Nigeria’s traditionally strong relay teams, logistical challenges, and inadequate athlete support as major setbacks.

Sports observers insist that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) must chart a new path if the country is to climb the global athletics ladder.

Key recommendations include better logistics and athlete welfare, renewed focus on relay programmes, grassroots talent identification, and consistent funding.

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Despite the below-par medal count, the performances in Tokyo suggest Nigeria still possesses world-class potential. With reforms and stronger administration, the AFN has an opportunity to turn near-misses into podium finishes at future championships.

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