Athletics
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS TRAIL ELECTION OF 1ST IAAF FEMALE VICE PRESIDENT
Ximena Restrepo was chosen as the first female vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Wednesday but the election was overshadowed by the late decision to prevent the United Arab Emirates’ Ahmed Al Kamali from standing.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced he had been suspended for a “potential violation of the IAAF Candidacy Rules and Integrity Code of Conduct”.
The decision to ban Al Kamali, President of the UAE Athletics Federation and an attorney at law, from standing for vice-president and the IAAF Council was taken so late that he had already arrived here for the vote and officials had to remove his accreditation from him.
It is believed that the AIU had been investigating allegations of corruption against Al Kamali for several weeks and interviewed him in the Qatari capital last night.
Sebastian Coe, himself re-elected for a second term as IAAF President today, claimed that he did not find out about the decision until a few minutes before the Congress was due to begin and did not know what the specific allegations were.
But, in 2015, when he was elected as a member of the IAAF Council in Beijing, Al Kamali was forced to deny allegations he had offered delegates Rolex watches in an attempt to win votes at the Confederation of African Athletics Congress.
He denied the claims.
Restrepo, the first Colombian to win an Olympic medal in athletics when she claimed a bronze in the 400 metres at Barcelona 1992, was elected as the first female vice-president in the IAAF’s 117-year history.
The 50-year-old, now a citizen of Chile, was elected ahead of Canada’s Abby Hoffman, the 1963 and 1971 Pan American Games 800m gold medallist and 1966 Commonwealth Games 880 yards champion, and The Netherlands’ Sylvia Barlag, who finished 10th in the pentathlon at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
Restrepo polled 85 votes with Hoffman getting 68 and Barlag 53.
“Ximena is a former athlete which is tremendously helpful when you’re driving the sport forward,” Coe said.
“I am delighted that we have for the very first time elected a female vice-president and that she will be joined by seven other women on Council.
“This is a historic moment.”
Coe had initiated a change in the IAAF constitution following his election in Beijing four years ago to ensure that there would be a female vice-president.
“I’m really honoured to take this position,” said Restrepo.
“It’s a great moment for me and for my country.
“I would like to thank you, Seb, because this was only made possible because of you and the changes made to the constitution.
“I think we, as women, now have more opportunities than before.
“I just hope I can do a good job.
“I’d like to thank all of the Member Federations who voted for me.
“I hope I can be all that they expected me to be.”
Restrepo is joined as IAAF vice-president by Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka, Norfolk Island’s Geoffrey Gardner and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud.
Bubka, who held the post of senior IAAF vice-president having lost out for President to Coe in 2015, and Gardner were elected with 139 and 105 votes respectively.
But Cuba’s double Olympic gold medallist Alberto Juantorena, elected as a vice-president in Beijing four years ago, lost his position.
He was beaten by Prince Nawaf in a run-off after both polled 71 votes.
In the second vote, Prince Nawaf received 106 votes to Juantorena’s 100.
Juantorena did, however, win one of the 13 seats on the IAAF Council.
Hoffman and Barlag also retained their places on the Council – meaning there will be a record eight women on the sport’s ruling executive.
Restrepo, Hoffman and Barlag will be joined by Italy’s Anna Riccardi and Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakel, who also retained their places, and newcomers Nan Wang, vice-director of the Chinese Athletics Association, and Beatrice Ayikoru, secretary general of the Ugandan Athletics Federation.
The final female member of the Council will be a representative of the IAAF Athletes’ Commission, expected to be announced in November.
Hiroshi Yokokawa, President of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, is another newly-elected member of the IAAF Council less than a year before Tokyo is due to host the Olympic Games.
The 72-year-old businessman, the former executive vice-president at Osaka Gas Co Ltd, earned more votes than any of his rivals with 142.
Also elected to the Council for the first time was America’s Willie Banks, silver medallist in the triple jump at the 1983 IAAF World Championships, and Spain’s Raul Chapado, another former triple jumper who competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
The list of debutants was completed by Dobromir Karamarinov, the first vice-president of European Athletics.
Adille Sumariwalla, President of the Athletics Federation of India, who competed in the 100m at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, retained his place on the Council.
The 61-year-old, now a successful media tycoon in India, had earlier withdrawn from the race for IAAF vice-president.
The IAAF Council is completed by Antti Pihlakoski, President of the Finnish Athletics Federation.
The 58-year-old, a former middle-distance runner, polled 125 votes, more than anyone except Yokokawa.
insidethegames has contacted Al Kamali for comment.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has officially set the ball rolling for the selection of Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, announcing June 20 to 22 as the dates for the national trials in Lagos.
The three-day championship, scheduled for the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex, will serve as the sole selection event for athletes seeking to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
In a statement released by the federation, the AFN emphasised that participation in the trials is compulsory for all athletes aspiring to make Team Nigeria, making the competition a critical stage in the country’s preparations for the Games.
The event is expected to attract the nation’s leading track and field stars, alongside a new generation of emerging talents eager to secure a place on the national team.
A total of 32 events for men and women will be contested during the championships, offering athletes opportunities to demonstrate their readiness for international competition.
However, the federation announced that participation in the men’s and women’s 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres events will be limited to athletes who have attained the prescribed qualifying standards. All other track and field events will remain open to eligible competitors.
According to the AFN, the arrangement is designed to ensure that only athletes who have demonstrated the required level of performance compete in the sprint events while maintaining broad participation across other disciplines.
Athletes are expected to arrive in Lagos on June 19, with departures scheduled for June 23.
To support athletes in their quest for qualification, the federation announced that accommodation will be provided to competitors who have achieved the stipulated qualifying marks during the qualification period. The list of eligible athletes is expected to be published in the coming days.
The trials are expected to produce intense competition as athletes battle for limited places on Team Nigeria. With the country traditionally regarded as one of Africa’s leading athletics nations, selection is likely to be fiercely contested across several events.
AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, described the trials as a major milestone in Nigeria’s build-up to Glasgow 2026 and called on athletics enthusiasts and stakeholders to support the athletes throughout the championship.
Okowa expressed confidence that the event would help identify the country’s strongest athletes and provide selectors with the best possible team for the Commonwealth Games.
He also commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission for its continued support of the federation, noting that the backing has strengthened efforts to develop athletics and enhance elite athletes’ performance.
With the countdown to the Commonwealth Games gathering momentum, attention will now shift to Lagos, where athletes will compete for the opportunity to wear Nigeria’s green-and-white colours on one of the biggest stages in international sport.
For hopefuls targeting Glasgow 2026, the message from the AFN is clear: the journey to the Commonwealth Games begins at the YABATECH Sports Complex this month.
The Akwa Ibom State Government’s sustained investment in sports development under Governor Umo Eno is beginning to produce significant results, with athletes from the state returning from the African Senior Athletics Championship in Ghana with medals and qualifications for future international competitions.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, during a reception held at his office for athletes from the state who represented Nigeria at the continental championship staged in Ghana from May 10 to 17.
The athletes delivered impressive performances for Team Nigeria, winning gold medals in relay events and reinforcing the growing reputation of Akwa Ibom as one of the country’s emerging hubs for athletics excellence.
Speaking during the reception, Bassey praised the athletes for making both the state and Nigeria proud, attributing their achievements to the deliberate sports development policies introduced by Governor Eno’s administration.
According to him, the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports by the governor reflects the administration’s determination to give sports-focused attention and create opportunities for athletes to thrive at both national and international levels.
“Akwa Ibom is proud of you. You did not just qualify to represent the country; you went there and won gold medals,” Bassey said.
“Sports have always thrived in the state, but the renewed intentionality of His Excellency inspires us greatly. That is why he established a stand-alone Ministry of Sports to ensure focused attention on the sector. We sincerely appreciate his unwavering support.”
The commissioner assured the athletes and their coaches that the government would continue to honour and support them despite the political activities leading up to next year’s elections.
He added that the administration remains committed to projecting Akwa Ibom athletes to greater heights on the global sporting stage.
Head Coach of the state Athletics Association, Dan Umoette, also commended the state government and the Ministry of Sports for their consistent support, saying the encouragement has motivated athletes to pursue excellence and podium finishes.
Umoette revealed that three Akwa Ibom athletes were part of the Nigerian relay quartet that won gold in the 4×400 metres event at the championship.
One of the athletes, Comfort James, Nigeria’s women’s 800 metres record holder, described the government’s public backing as a major morale booster.
“We have not enjoyed opportunities like this before, where the entire government and the Ministry of Sports openly support us,” she said.
“It has boosted our morale and helped us stand out. We hope to do even more in future competitions because we know we are not limited.”
Among the Akwa Ibom athletes who represented Nigeria at the championship were Esther Okon and Jacinta Lawrence, who won gold in the women’s 4×400 metres relay final.
Ezekiel Eno Asuquo and Victor Sampson also claimed gold medals in the mixed 4×400 metres relay event.
Other members of the contingent included Comfort James in the women’s 800 metres and Clergy Edet in the women’s high jump competition.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Sports present at the reception included Permanent Secretary Mrs Rosemary Ubia, Director of Sports Mrs Brigid Otton, Director of Organising Mrs Margaret Ekpo, and Director of Coaching and Technical Unit Mrs Kate Ekuta.
Also present were coaches Kenti Christopher and Janet Ba.
JOIN THE SPORTS VILLAGE SQUARE CHANNEL:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
FIFA Expresses Regret Over Referee’s U.S. Entry Denial Ahead of World Cup
England’s Spence Follows Osimhen’s Masked Path to World Cup
Nigeria’s Loss, France’s Gain as Olise Underlines World Cup Importance with Hat-Trick
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup1 week ago
Iran beat Gambia as federation seeks FIFA clarity over visas
- World Cup1 week ago
Attack-minded Ivorians bullish ahead of World Cup return
- World Cup5 days ago
Rema, Davido, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr Make FIFA’s Star-Studded World Cup 2026 Official Album
- World Cup4 days ago
FIFA bans vuvuzelas from World Cup stadiums
- World Cup4 days ago
Shakira to Headline FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony in Mexico
- International Football2 days ago
Eriksen Suffers Fresh Collapse During Denmark Friendly, Reviving Memories of Euro 2020 Ordeal
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Soname Rewards Flamingos with N4.5m Goal Bonus After Guinea Rout
- World Cup2 days ago
Pelé’s 1970 World Cup Hideaway Becomes Tourist Attraction as Mexico Hosts Tournament for Record Third Time