The excitement surrounding Nigeria’s men’s 4x400m relay team at the Paris 2024 Olympics has quickly turned to disappointment.
After successfully qualifying for the final with a season’s best time of 2:59.81, the team was disqualified due to a lane violation.
The quartet, comprising Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathanial, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie, had finished second in their heat, just behind France.
However, officials ruled that one of the Nigerian runners stepped on the line, which caused a South African runner to trip.
As a result, South Africa has now been awarded the spot in the final that Nigeria had secured.
This disqualification is particularly disheartening for the team, which aimed to replicate the success of previous Nigerian relay teams that won medals in the 1984, 2000, and 2004 Olympics.
There is currently no word on whether Nigerian officials will appeal this decision, leaving fans and athletes alike in a state of uncertainty and frustration.