The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) may have brushed aside speculations that it is planning to replace sprinter, Godson Brume as news of his injury continues to waft across athletics circles in the build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Brume and other athletes moved to the pre-Games Camp in Saarbrucken, Germany, last week to finalise their preparations for the Olympics, which starts on July 26, in Paris, France.
But news from the training camp, yesterday, had it that athlete, Godson, who is the younger brother to long jumper, Ese Brume, has been injured, thus jeopardising his chances of participating in the Olympics. He is said to have sustained the injury during one of the team’s training sessions.
While AFN top shots, including President Tonobok Okowa, and Secretary General, Rita Mosindi, are said to be waiting for an official medical report on the athlete to know the next step to take, some reports also speculated that the federation has already penciled down another athlete to replace the injured Brume.
However, an official of the AFN said in a statement yesterday, that the federation does not have such a plan at the moment. He said: “Even if Godson Brume is injured as speculated, we have six other sprinters in the team’s camp, and there is no need to look for a replacement.
“We have Usheoritse Itsekiri, Ajayi Keyinsola, Udodi Onwuzurike, Favour Ashe, Alaba Akintola, and Israel Sunday Okon. We need just five athletes for our relay team, and even without Godson Brume, we still have an extra athlete just in case any of these five athletes can’t meet up.
So, those saying that the AFN is looking for a replacement for Godson Brume just want to cause confusion in the camp.
“Apart from that, I doubt if there is still room for a replacement. Even, if there is, we won’t buy such an idea because those spreading the rumour don’t mean well for AFN at the moment, and we won’t dance to their tune,” the official said.
If Godson Brume is eventually ruled out of the Paris Olympics, it will be the second time that he will be missing a major championship in the 11th hour.
Last year, Brume withdrew from the World Athletics Championships, in Budapest, Hungary after he had been selected by the AFN. His excuse then was that he had issues with his travelling documents.
Olaitan Ibrahim