The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is facing a major crisis as the World Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) deadline of January 16, 2026 approaches.

The federation is yet to explain why 16 out of 17 athletes entered for the 2025 African U18 & U20 Championships in Abeokuta had multiple and conflicting dates of birth.

The AIU query, issued on December 2, 2025, has triggered panic within the AFN board, which has yet to provide a satisfactory response.

A source told The Guardian (Nigeria): “As we speak, the AFN board is yet to find a concrete excuse to convince AIU on the query. They are running from pillar to post looking for solutions. Time is not on their side.”

What AIU Demands

• Verifiable documents proving athletes’ true ages (birth certificates, passports, school records, medical files).
• Failure to comply will trigger a full-scale investigation into possible age manipulation, a serious violation of World Athletics rules.

Possible Consequences if AFN Fails

• Suspension of the affected athletes.
• Bans for officials implicated in fraud.
• Sanctions on the AFN itself, risking international embarrassment.

The AFN had previously set up an internal committee to investigate, but progress remains unclear as the deadline nears.