Nigeria Set To Miss Word Relays After Chinese Embassy Disrupts Star-Studded Team

Team Nigeria will not be competing at the 2025 World Athletics Relays after being denied visas by the Chinese embassy.

The event which is poised to run from May 10-11 and scheduled to serve as a crucial qualifier for the World Championships, will now proceed without Nigeria's men's 4x100m, women's 4x100m, mixed 4x100m, and mixed 4x400m relay teams.

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According to Track And Field Gazette, Nigeria who were poised to field one of its most promising relay lineups in recent years will be absent.

The team included world 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan and American collegiate sprint sensation Favour Ashe.

The men's 4x100m team was stacked with sprint talent such as Alaba Akintola, Karlington Anunagba and the dynamic duo of Ashe and Udodi Onwuzurike among others.

Their absence is a significant setback, especially considering their recent performances on the global stage.

At the 2024 World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas, Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team made history by breaking the African Record with a National Record time of 3:12.87.

Their 4th-place finish in the final secured Nigeria a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics and demonstrated the growing strength of their relay teams on the world stage.

The 2025 World Relays in China act as a gateway to the World Championships, and for several nations, an opportunity to qualify key relay teams.

Nigeria’s inability to compete may have long-term consequences for its relay squads in global rankings.

The incident adds to ongoing discussions about visa barriers affecting athletes from developing nations, especially in high-stakes international competitions.