‘TRULY SHOCKING’

Somali Athletics Federation Vows Investigation After Runner’s Viral 100M Effort

Questions are being asked about how an incredibly slow competitor was chosen to represent her country.

A Somali runner’s woeful performance at the FISU 2023 World University Games in China has raised questions as to how and why she was chosen to represent her nation. A video of Nasra Ali Abukar’s performance in the women’s 100 meters event on Monday went viral after she clocked in at 21.81 seconds—almost a full ten seconds slower than the race’s winner. “The Ministry of Youth and Sports should step down,” Elham Garaad wrote on Twitter alongside a clip of Abukar’s sluggish effort. “It’s disheartening to witness such an incompetent government. How could they select an untrained girl to represent Somalia in running? It’s truly shocking and reflects poorly on our country internationally.” Garaad later alleged that Abukar is the “niece of the athletic federation director” and called her selection “corruption.” The Somali Athletics Federation told Somali TV there would be an investigation into the matter, according to Newsweek.