The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has described the visa denial that forced Nigeria’s withdrawal from the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou as an “accident”.
In a bid to mend fences after the international embarrassment, Yang Jianxing, the Culture Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, led a diplomatic delegation to the National Sports Commission (NSC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
His message was simple: “We are sorry.”
“I want to describe what has happened as an accident, and we are sorry and we regret it in its entirety,” said Yang during the high-profile meeting.
“We are here to let the Sports Commission know that the Chinese Government holds Nigeria in high esteem.”
The Fallout: Missed Dreams and Global Setback
Nigeria had been scheduled to participate in four relay events from May 10 to 12 — the men’s 4x100m, women’s 4x100m, mixed 4x100m, and mixed 4x400m — all crucial qualifiers for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Japan.
However, on May 8, just two days before the relays began, the NSC dropped a bombshell: Nigeria was pulling out due to visa complications.
Specifically, seven U.S.-based Nigerian athletes — including stars like Tobi Amusan and Favour Ofili — were denied entry into China.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had earlier stated in that despite initiating the visa process in February, its athletes faced a series of obstacles that rendered their travel “physically impossible.”
AFN: “We Were Set Up to Fail”
AFN President Tonobok Okowa minced no words in a scathing statement:
“Our athletes submitted all required documentation in good faith and well in advance, yet were subjected to delays and obstacles that made their participation impossible.”
“The timing of this visa issuance — on the very day our team was due to arrive — can only be interpreted as either gross administrative incompetence or a deliberate attempt to exclude Nigerian athletes from the World Relays.”
The federation listed a slew of bureaucratic setbacks allegedly imposed by Chinese authorities — from incorrect invitation letters to inconsistent demands for police reports, bank statements, and a “Verification Letter of Invitation.”
China: “It Was Miscommunication, Not Malice”
In a counterstatement, the Chinese Embassy denied wrongdoing and provided a timeline to defend its actions.
“On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated April 22), requesting assistance in processing visas,” the statement said.
“On May 6, the China Visa Application Centre received the relevant application materials. The Embassy immediately activated the expedited procedure and completed visa issuance by May 8.”
While reiterating that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, the Embassy expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s absence and labelled AFN’s accusations “inconsistent with the facts.”
Still, the embassy struck a conciliatory tone.
“We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time. However, we remain committed to strengthening sports and people-to-people cooperation with Nigeria.”
Hope on the Horizon: NSC Welcomes Diplomatic Outreach
The Chinese delegation’s visit was warmly received by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, who called the apology and outreach “a huge sign of better things to come.”
“We are very happy to receive officials from the Chinese Embassy in our office today,” Dikko said. “It shows the Chinese Government’s genuine disappointment for what happened.”
NSC Director General Bukola Olopade also commended the embassy’s diplomacy:
“Your humility and diplomacy are the best I have seen anywhere… We’ve agreed to take this as an unfortunate incident and move forward.”
The Embassy also proposed specialised exchange programmes, training opportunities for Nigerian athletes, and a dedicated sports communication channel between the two countries.
Lessons and Cautions
Though diplomatic bridges are being rebuilt, the damage from Nigeria’s absence at the Relays is undeniable.
The AFN is seeking compensation for wasted travel arrangements, lost sponsorship deals, and the psychological impact on athletes who had trained for months only to watch their dreams evaporate due to paperwork.
Furthermore, Okowa has called on World Athletics to rethink its host country selection criteria, urging the body to prioritise nations with “athlete-friendly visa regimes.”
