On Wednesday, the Somali Minister of Sports apologized after an apparently untrained female runner represented the African country at the World University Games in China, taking over 20 seconds to finish a 100-meter race. He ordered the dismissal of the head of the national athletics federation. According to the Associated Press, Mohammed Barre, the Minister of Sports and Youth, stated that his ministry does not know how 20-year-old Nasra Abubakar Ali was selected to compete in the women's 100-meter race at the Chengdu university games in China. The ministry also issued a separate statement directing the Somali Olympic Committee to temporarily dismiss Khadija Aden Dahir, the head of the national athletics federation, due to allegations that Nasra Abubakar Ali was a relative of hers and was given the opportunity to participate in the games for that reason. The Somali University Union also announced that no runner was sent as part of an official Somali team to China. A video of Nasra Abubakar Ali's slow and struggling run was shared on social media, and the Minister of Sports stated that this performance was embarrassing for Somalia. In the preliminary race, Nasra Abubakar Ali fell behind immediately after the start and finished about 10 seconds after the winner. After a week's delay, Ibrahim Raisi agreed to the resignation of Hamid Sajjadi from the Ministry of Sports. Report by Ali Emadi on the new caretaker of the Ministry of Sports and Youth; challenges facing Hashemi. Messi's fireworks in America continue.
A Tortoise's Run at the World Championships; Somali Athlete Completed the 100-Meter Race in 20 Seconds
A Somali athlete, Nasra Abubakar Ali, took over 20 seconds to complete a 100-meter race at the World University Games, prompting the Somali Sports Minister to apologize and call for the dismissal of the national athletics federation head. The incident raised questions about the athlete's selection and the federation's integrity.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A Somali athlete, Nasra Abubakar Ali, took over 20 seconds to complete a 100-meter race at the World University Games, leading to an apology from the Sports Minister and calls for the dismissal of the athletics federation head.
- Nasra finished significantly behind other competitors, raising questions about her training and selection.
- The Somali Ministry of Sports has initiated an investigation into the selection process for the event.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Athlete selection processes in many countries can be influenced by nepotism and lack of proper training, leading to embarrassing situations on international stages.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%