Nigeria’s 4x400m men’s relay team, despite earning a spot in the final, has been disqualified from the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as of Friday.
The jubilant celebrations that erupted after the team secured a place in the final at the Olympics final have been abruptly halted.
Despite clocking a Season’s Best time of 2:59.81 in heat 2, the quartet of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie was disqualified.
France claimed victory in the race with a time of 2:59.53, while Belgium secured the third automatic qualification spot with a time of 2:59.84.
However, it was determined that one of the Nigerian runners crossed into another lane, leading to the tripping of a South African runner.
As a result, Nigeria’s spot in the final has been handed over to South Africa.
This disqualification is a bitter blow for the Nigerian team, who had high hopes of emulating the success of their predecessors in the 1984, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games, where Nigeria won bronze in Los Angeles, gold in Sydney, and bronze again in Athens.
The disqualification not only dashed their hopes of making history but also served as a stark reminder of the fine margins that define success and failure at the highest level of competition.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether Nigerian officials in Paris will challenge the disqualification.
An appeal, if lodged, could potentially overturn the decision, but the odds are uncertain.
In the meantime, the disqualification has left fans and athletes alike grappling with the disappointment of seeing their hard-earned success slip away.
