The start of an uncompetitive sprinter from Somalia at the Universiade caused a great deal of excitement in sports and politics in the African country.
Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Barre Mohamud apologized and ordered the National Olympic Committee to suspend the chairman of the national athletics federation. In a statement, the ministry accused her of abuse of power and announced legal action.
20-year-old Nasra Abukar Ali finished more than 21 seconds in the 100-meter lead at the student games in Chengdu on Tuesday, the video of which quickly spread on social networks. Ali was more than ten seconds slower than the winner Patrizia van der Weken from Luxembourg (11.22 seconds). A side note: Austria’s Magdalena Lindner won the bronze medal (11.44).
Officially no athlete sent
Sports Minister Mohamud said he did not know how Ali qualified, calling her performance embarrassing for Somalia. She is not an athlete or a runner. Amid rumors that Ali is a relative of the athletics federation leader, the country’s student union said it had not sent any runners to the Universiade. The ministry added there is no student sports association.
