The Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Sunday Adeleye, has been sacked, The Punch report.
His removal was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the AFN, Shehu Gusau.
A letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development said Adeleye’s sack was ordered by the sports minister, Sunday Dare.
The letter claimed that Adeleye was removed over alleged gross misconduct.
The PUNCH gathered that Adeleye might have been indicted by the report of a review committee set up to investigate Nigeria’s poor performance at the World Athletics Championships, held in Doha in September.
During the championships, two Nigerian top athletes, Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru, faced disqualification scare for not partaking in the men’s and women’s 100m race.
Though the athletes claimed to have informed the AFN of their intentions to take part in only 200m races, the AFN refused to inform the IAAF.
The AFN claimed that the embarrassment was caused by mix-up among its officials.
Based on the IAAF rules, athletes who fail to partake in their first event at the World Championships without prior notification would be disqualified from all other events.
Part of the letter addressed to Gusau read, “Consequent on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, I am further directed to convey the directive of the Honourable Minister for the immediate removal from office of Mr. Sunday Adeleye as Technical Director of the AFN on account of ascertained gross misconduct.
“Accordingly, you are directed to convey to Mr. Sunday Adeleye in writing this directive and evidence of compliance delivered to the Honourable Minister.”
