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A Somalian sports official has been suspended for nepotism, and the country was forced to apologise after a painfully slow sprinter recorded one of the slowest 100m races ever in an international competition.
The cherry on top must have been the jubilant skip over the finish line, but sports officials didn’t seem to share the joy.
The video, which circulated widely on Wednesday, showed Nasro Abukar Ali competing in the third heat of the first round of the women’s 100-meter race at the International University Sports Federation’s (FISU) Summer World University Games in China.
She reportedly had no previous experience in top-level competitions, and finished the race in 21.81 seconds – more than 10 seconds behind the eventual winner.
The fact that she reportedly had no previous experience of competing has prompted some Somalis to wonder why she was ever selected.
“It’s disheartening to witness such an incompetent government. How could they select an untrained girl to represent Somalia in running?” wrote one social media user, Elham Garaad. “It’s truly shocking and reflects poorly on our country internationally.”
The incident is not the first time Somalia has sparked controversy with its choice of athletes at international athletics events. In 2016, Maryan Nuh Muse ran a sluggish time of 1.10.14 in the 400m at the Rio Olympics. The average time for the event is about 48 seconds.
The video of the race immediately made waves on social media, prompting ridicule, disbelief, and for some, even anger.
The Summer World University Games are ongoing in Chengdu, China.
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