NOC panel indicts Gusau, approves Adeleye’s removal as technical director

Suspended President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Ibrahim Gusau, is in for stronger censure as a panel of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) indicted him, saying his declaration of autonomy for the AFN from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development was out of order because the ministry will always supervise the National Sport Federations.

The committee also endorsed the removal of Mr. Sunday Adeleye as the technical director of the AFN. Adeleye has ceased to exist as a member of the AFN board, following his recall by his constituency, the athletes.

Set up by NOC at its meeting of December 11, 2019, and headed by NOC’s second Vice President, Mr. Francis Orbih, the committee had quietly presented its report on the situation in the AFN to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos last Friday at a low-key event.

Meanwhile, the committee cleared the way for the NOC and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to continue working with the acting leadership of the AFN, saying that “The NOC in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development should work with the group that is ready to work with it to achieve” the goal of excelling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.