Usually when scandals plague the running world after a race, it's because the winner dominated with an unbelievable time. But the Somali athletics world is under fire for the opposite reason after one runner's dismal performance raised questions about how she got there in the first place.
The FISU World University Games are currently taking place in Chengdu, China, inviting collegiate athletes from all over the world to compete in an Olympics-style event. On Aug. 1, Nasro Abukar Ali of Somalia hit the track for the 100m race, but she was clearly out of her league from the moment the race began. She was so slow that she wasn't even seen in the frame with the other runners. The 20-year-old finished approximately 10 seconds behind the winner, completing the race in about 21 seconds.
Soon after the race, Khadijo Aden Dahir, the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, was suspended from her position after allegations arose that Ali was a relative of hers and was given a spot in the competition for that reason. According to The Associated Press, Mohamed Barre Mohamud, the country's Minister of Youth and Sports, stated plainly that his organization didn't know how Ali was selected to compete in the women’s 100m sprint in the first place.
Dahir, meanwhile, is subject to legal proceedings as a result of the scandal. She stands accused of "abuse of power, nepotism, and defaming the name of the nation," according to a statement on social media.
Suspension of the Chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, Ms. Khadijo Aden Dahir pic.twitter.com/UZsO0A4UiA
— Ministry of Youth and Sports of Somalia (@MoysFGS) August 2, 2023
The Ministry concluded that Ali is "not [a] sports person nor a runner," so her presence in Chengdu was strange, to say the least. Per the AP, the Association of Somali Universities confirmed that it didn't send any runners to compete at the Games.
Sometimes, being way out of your league can not only be discouraging, but legally fraught.
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/ivZwzh4
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