AFN Cautions Athletes Over Deals That Could Threaten Careers, National Allegiance

Posted : 25 August 2026

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has warned Nigerian athletes and their families to exercise caution when considering agreements with foreign agents, schools and other institutions, saying their careers and national representation must not be compromised by unfavourable deals.

AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, said the Federation would continue to scrutinise agreements involving Nigerian athletes and intervene whenever it considers a deal detrimental to an athlete’s welfare or Nigeria’s interests.

Okowa, who is also Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), stressed that athletes’ welfare remained one of the major responsibilities of the AFN.

He explained that the Federation had not entered into any arrangement with agents or agencies to secure scholarships for Nigerian athletes, urging athletes and their parents or guardians to verify the details of any such offers before signing agreements.

According to him, no agreement involving an athlete should be regarded as irreversible when subsequent developments show that it could negatively affect the athlete’s education, career or ability to represent Nigeria.

The AFN president particularly warned against exposing young athletes to agreements without the involvement and consent of their parents or legal guardians.

“It is necessary to protect young athletes from arrangements that could negatively affect their education, careers or national representation,” Okowa stated.

The Federation disclosed that it had recently advised an athlete to terminate an agreement involving an agent and a school after determining that the arrangement was not in the athlete’s best interest and could also be inimical to Nigeria’s interests.

Okowa said the AFN would also not be prepared to work with Auburn University in the United States while coach Ken remains at the institution, citing concerns that the coach discourages Nigerian athletes from representing their country.

“AFN’s position is based on concerns that the coach discourages Nigerian athletes from representing the country,” he said.

He, however, acknowledged the value of foreign scholarships and training opportunities, noting that they could provide athletes with important platforms to combine education with elite sports development.

Such opportunities, he stressed, must be structured in a way that protects the athlete’s long-term career and does not undermine the athlete’s responsibility to represent Nigeria.

Okowa disclosed that in one particular case, he directed AFN Second Vice President, Akuchukwu Aghazu, a lawyer, to examine the circumstances surrounding an athlete’s agreement.

Aghazu subsequently reviewed the agreement and provided legal guidance to the Federation on the appropriate steps to take.

The AFN president said the Federation would continue to monitor agreements involving Nigerian athletes, particularly those involving foreign institutions, agents and third parties.

He advised athletes and their families to obtain proper legal and professional advice before committing themselves to contractual arrangements.

Okowa assured Nigerian athletes that the AFN would remain committed to protecting their welfare and ensuring that opportunities available to them enhance their education, careers and development while preserving their ability to represent the country with pride.

AFN Cautions Athletes Over Deals That Could Threaten Careers, National Allegiance

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