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The head of Somalia’s athletics has been suspended after an amateur runner took nearly 22 seconds to complete the 100-meter sprint at an international tournament.
At the World University Games on Tuesday in Chengdu, China, 20-year-old Nasra Abukar Ali, finished last and took nearly twice as long as the winner, Gabriela Mouro of Brazil.
In a video that went viral, Abukar finished the race in a skip over the finish line after she slipped so far behind the pace.
Nasra Abukar’s performance drew mockery and skepticism online, and some social media users used it as proof of the Somali government’s corruption and inefficiency.
Her record of 21.81 seconds, which was more than 10 seconds slower than the winning mark of 11.58 seconds, has been generally referred to as the “slowest-ever” time in the 100-meter history in the media.
According to statements made by the sports minister Mohamed Barre Mohamud on Wednesday, based on information from the National Olympic Committees, Abuka has no prior experience in running or any other sport.
Mohamud then said that he had suspended Khadijo Aden Dahir, the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, for “abuse of power, nepotism, and defaming the name of the nation” and that he would pursue legal action in response to the event.
Without expanding on the association’s relationship to the contest, Mohamud also claimed that there was no officially recognized Somali University Sports Association.
In a previous statement, the Association of Somalia Universities denied sending athletes to the competition.
Ali’s selection to compete at the games was not known to the Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Barre Mohamud, who already apologized for the event.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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