By Ben Efe 15.4
Athletics Federation of Nigeria is looking forward to having Ashe Favour Tejiri to run with the Nigerian team at the World Relays May 2-3 in Gaborone, Botswana.
Ashe Favour was widely reported to have dumped Nigeria to pitch his tent with Qatar, but he was listed in the team representing Nigeria in Botswana and he is also likely to feature at the African Championships and Commonwealth Games up head.
“Ashe Favour is in our team because he remains a Nigerian athlete,” Gabriel Okon AFN technical director stated.
“He has not written to the AFN he is changing nationality, neither has any country written to the AFN, they want him to represent them.
“We put him in the team because he is still one of our best sprinters currently and has opened his season with 10.2, which is the fastest Nigerian time. He would be a valuable addition to the team.”
AFN and National Sports Commission officials have been in contact with Ashe Favour with a view to dissuade him from jumping ships.
“He is one of our best athletes and there is no shame in persuading him to stay in Nigeria,” said a top official of the NSC.
“There was never a time, he ignored our calls to him.”