The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has announced the country’s withdrawal from the 2025 World Relays in Guangzhou, China, citing delays in the visa issuance process by Chinese authorities. In a statement posted on its official social media, the AFN expressed deep regret over the situation, highlighting that despite starting the visa application process in February, Nigeria’s athletes were unable to attend the competition due to delays and setbacks in the process.
The AFN criticized the Chinese embassy for the late issuance of visas, which were only provided on the very day the team was due to depart, rendering participation physically impossible. The federation also pointed to additional complications, such as incorrect invitation letters, changes to the application portal, and excessive documentation demands including police reports and bank statements for athletes, coaches, and officials.
With deep regret, the AFN announced: “We, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, announce our withdrawal from the World Relays following unacceptable visa delays by Chinese authorities. Despite our diligent efforts processing documentation since February, our athletes have faced numerous obstacles from embassy embarrassment to last-minute visa issuance that made competition attendance physically impossible.”
AFN President Tonobok Okowa expressed his dissatisfaction, stating: “The timing of this visa issuance on the very day our team was due to arrive can only be interpreted as either gross administrative incompetence or a deliberate attempt to exclude Nigerian athletes from the World Relays.” He also called for changes in the selection process for future hosts: “World Athletics should revise its host selection process, prioritizing countries that implement more streamlined and athlete-friendly visa procedures to avoid similar issues in the future.”
However, in response, the Chinese Embassy in Abuja has refuted the AFN’s claims, explaining that the visa process was expedited once the necessary documents were submitted. According to the embassy, they received the relevant application materials on May 6 and completed the visa issuance on May 8—two days later.
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy said: “The Embassy of China in Nigeria has always actively supported people-to-people and sports cooperation between the two countries, repeatedly expressed its welcome for Nigerian athletes to participate in events in China, and consistently assisted Nigerian citizens in visa applications in an efficient and professional manner.” The embassy further emphasized that the AFN’s statement was inaccurate, adding: “The statement issued by the AFN does not represent the facts.”
The embassy also provided a detailed timeline of the visa process, stating that they received a request from Nigeria’s National Sports Commission on April 24 and immediately began the process of assisting with the visa application. “On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated April 22) requesting assistance in processing visas for Nigerian athletes to participate in the event in China. The Embassy immediately communicated with the Commission and guided it to prepare the relevant materials to expedite the visa application,” the statement reads.
The embassy continued, explaining the timeline: “On May 6, the China Visa Application Centre received the relevant application materials submitted by the Nigerian athletes. The Embassy immediately activated the expedited procedure, provided the utmost assistance to the Nigerian applicants, and completed the visa issuance on May 8.”
The embassy also noted that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty and that applicants are required to provide the corresponding documents in a timely manner: “Visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, and all foreign embassies require applicants to provide the corresponding documents and materials, as well as allow sufficient time for the application process.”
While the Chinese Embassy expressed regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate, it reaffirmed its commitment to promoting exchanges between the two countries, saying: “We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time, but the statement issued by the AFN is inconsistent with the facts. The Embassy of China in Nigeria remains committed to promoting friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples and stands ready to continue providing support and assistance for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including sports.”
This response from the Chinese Embassy contradicts the AFN’s assertions and marks the latest chapter in a series of visa-related issues that have impacted Nigerian athletics. Earlier this year, the AFN had also cited visa delays as the reason for fielding a reduced team at the World Indoors Championships in Nanjing, China.
In light of the missed opportunity at the World Relays, the AFN has called for compensation for the financial losses incurred.
