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Sections News Editorial/Opinion Cover Choice Arts & Life Business Politics Sports   Subscription Form Click here       Daily Independent Online.         * Friday,July 16, 2004. No place for Onyali in Olympic team, Amu insists   Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria  (AFN) Alhaji Abdulkarim Amu has stated in clear terms that athletes who did not take part in last weekend’s Olympic trials in Abuja would not be part of the country’s Olympic team. Amu made this clarification in view of comments made by Mary Onyali-Omagbemi on Brila FM Thursday morning to the effect that she and Uchenna Emedolu who were not at the trials had earlier been excused from the trials by the Sports Ministry  following injuries they cupped shortly before the Abuja trials. I’m surprised at Onyali’s comments. I believe she knows the rules better than those she claimed to have excused her from the trials. The rule that states,  no trials no participation still stands no matter who is involved.”   Amu, popularly called the  ‘father of Nigeria’s athletics’ said that rules should be followed to the letter. He also noted that AFN cannot at this time saddle itself with problems  by including athletes who did not take part in the trials in the Olympic team. “Whose place are they going to take?”, he asked. The federation’s three-time president stated that he was not aware of the athletes claim that the honourable Minister of Sports, Col. Musa Mohammed (rtd.) permitted their absence from the trials, if that was true, the federation’s hierarchy would have been informed. Amu also stated that the federation was not aware of the nature of the athletes’ injuries as to determine whether or not it would heel before the Olympics which starts in 26 days time. On what the federation would do if the Sports Ministry goes ahead to register the injured athletes for the Olympics, Amu said  “it would be unfortunate and a dangerous precedence for democracy which  allows healthy rivalry and fair play” In 1996   when  the Ezinwa  brothers   participation in  the trials was in doubt, it was the same Onyali who opposed their inclusion in the team. But, thank goodness, the athletes later arrived for the trials. Going by her current form, Onyali would not place in the quarter-final of either 100m or 200m events. According to AFN,  the captain of team Nigeria was only interested in going to Athens to actualise her retirement and not winning a  medal as she had said.         Copyright� 2002. All Rights Reserved Independent Newspapers Limited Block5, Plot 7D, Wempco Road, Ogba, P.M.B. 21777, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. www.dailyindependentng.com e-mail: [email protected]

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