The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has announced the withdrawal of Team Nigeria from the 2025 World Relays in Guangzhou, China, citing significant visa-related complications and administrative failures on the part of the Chinese authorities.
The federation expressed “deep regret” over the development, blaming what it described as a “fundamental failure of Chinese administrative processes” for the team’s inability to participate in the global relay meet.
The crisis reportedly stemmed from a combination of delayed visa processing and excessively stringent documentation requirements imposed by the Chinese Embassy.
The AFN revealed that, despite submitting all necessary applications on 25 April—two weeks prior to the event—visas were only issued on 8 May, the very day Team Nigeria was scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou.
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“This last-minute issuance, occurring on the day our team was due to land in China, renders participation logistically impossible,” the AFN stated.
Nigeria’s Joy Udo-Gabriel (C) celebrates with teammate Rosemary Chukwuma (R) after they came in third in a heat of the women’s 4x100m relay heats during the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon (Photo by Getty Images)
The federation listed several grievances, including:
Excessive and discriminatory requirements, which the AFN claimed went beyond international sporting norms and placed an undue burden on Nigerian nationals;
Deliberate processing delays, even when applications were submitted simultaneously in Washington D.C., Berlin, and Abuja;
Confusion over documentation, particularly the poorly communicated “Verification Letter of Invitation” required by the Chinese visa system;
An inexplicable final delay, with visas withheld for additional days despite all requirements being met.
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The AFN criticised what it described as inconsistent handling by both the Chinese authorities and the Local Organising Committee, warning that such actions not only undermine the spirit of international sport but also disadvantage athletes who have prepared extensively to represent their country on the world stage.
Team Nigeria’s withdrawal comes as a major blow, both for the athletes and for their preparations toward the 2025 World Athletics Championships and the Paris 2026 Olympic cycle.
There has been no official response yet from Chinese authorities regarding the allegations.
