Age-cheats: AFN  affirms zero tolerance for breaches with swift probe  

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has moved swiftly to address fresh concerns surrounding the credibility of age-grade athletics in the country, launching an urgent investigation into alleged conflicting birth dates of athletes at the 2025 African U-18 and U-20 Championships held in Abeokuta.

The development follows a formal query from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics, which flagged several Nigerian athletes for suspected discrepancies in their registered ages.

The AIU has requested a detailed explanation from the AFN, prompting immediate action from the federation’s leadership.

In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja, AFN Secretary-General, Israel Inwang, revealed that AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, has ordered a comprehensive probe into the matter. He stressed that the reputation of Nigerian athletics remains a top priority and must be protected at all costs.

Chief Okowa—renowned for his uncompromising stance against age manipulation—disclosed that a special investigative committee will be officially inaugurated  and saddled  with the task of identifying the facts, scrutinizing all implicated cases and recommending sanctions for any athlete or official found culpable.

 “We must protect the integrity of the sport and the image of Nigeria,” Okowa reiterated. “I have always championed fairness in age-grade competitions, and I do not want to believe that our athletes or officials are involved. But we will get to the bottom of this.”

The AFN’s firm response underscores its determination to preserve Nigeria’s global image in athletics, safeguard the future of young athletes, and enforce strict compliance with international integrity regulations.