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AFN Poised to Exclude Godson Brume, as Older Sister Enters a Plea on Behalf of the Sprinter

Chinedum Ohanusi

July, 6 2023.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has reiterated that no athlete, foreign or local, will be listed in Nigeria team, billed to compete at the 2023 World Championships, scheduled to hold in Budapest, Hungary, from 19 to 27 August 2023.

About sixteen foreign -based track and field Stars have been in Benin City, to prove their fitness and punch their tickets to the global athletics showpiece event.


However, Nigeria’s most successful sprinter this season, Godson Brume has virtually been shutout of the team by the AFN, www.ckdmedia.ng reports.


An official of the AFN has been quoted by several outlets as saying Brume and any other athlete that failed to compete at the trials, ongoing at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Edo State capital should recluse themselves from the team to Budapest.


The official was further quoted as saying the sprinter, who is a younger brother to Olympics women's long Jump bronze medalist, Ese Brume was no nowhere to be found, when it was time for him to race in the 100 meters, won by Usheoritse Itsekiri in a time of 10.02 Seconds.


"We learnt yesterday [Wednesday] that Godson missed his flight four times. This is rare, but his absence means he is out of the team to Budapest. We are very strict about it,” the official said.

He went on to say this is not the first time Godson Brume has acted in such a manner.


"We were told his school kept paying money to renew the flights, yet he missed the opportunities, but to us that shows his level of unseriousness", he added.


The AFN will hold a meeting later to take a definite stand on this, and other infractions, before coming up with the list of the athletes who will fly the flag of Nigeria at the world championships. But for emphasis, only those that met the qualification standards set by World Athletics, and proved their fitness and form in the Benin trials will be selected.


Explaining her brother’s absence from Benin, the sprinter’s older sister, and World Championships Silver medalist, Ese Brume, said Godson should not be blamed entirely for his no-show.


“He got to Washington, but could not fly to Nigeria due to some issues. He didn’t miss his flight four times. He has been communicating with AFN and I just pray they will have reason to include him in the Budapest list".


Ese added that Godson had problems getting across to her, while she was on her way to Sweden for the Diamond League, in Stockholm. Eventually they spoke, and she has booked another ticket for him and he is airborne to Nigeria to get his visa for the World Championships.


In May, Brume defeated world silver medalist and multiple Olympian, Da'Marcus Fleming of the United States, at the LSU Alumni Gold, clocking a brilliant 9.97 Seconds (2.3), making him the first Nigerian sprinter to run a sub-10s time this season.


He captained Team Nigeria to the 2021 World U-20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, where the nation’s athletes won some gold medals. He later gained a student-athlete scholarship to study at the Louisiana State University (LSU).


The other athletes that are all but out, are sprinters Favour Ofili, and Rosemary Chukwuma.

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