Tuesday July 23, 2024
By Hassan Istiila
Abdullahi Jama Mohamed receives congratulations from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on April 17, 2024, following his historic victory at the 13th African Games in Ghana. CREDIT / Ministry of Youth and Sports of Somalia.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's National Olympic Committee has excluded athlete Abdullahi Jama Mohamed from attending the Olympic Games Paris 2024, scheduled to be held from July 26 to August 11.
Mohamed recently secured second place in the 5000-meter race at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, on March 22, 2024, marking Somalia's first medal on the global stage in over 35 years.
In a recorded video on Monday, Mohamed expressed his disappointment after the country's Olympic committee refused to let him represent Somalia in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He revealed that four athletes who finished behind him at the 13th African Games in Accra were sent to the tournaments in Paris.
Mohamed's removal from the Olympic roster highlights systemic issues within Somali sports institutions, where corruption and nepotism have frequently undermined the selection and development of genuine athletic talent.
"Our National Olympic Committee has barred me from the Olympics, while my competitor at the 13th African Games in Accra is representing his country. President Mohamud promised me that I would receive the same support as the athletes running for other countries and that I would represent our country. We are fighting for our nation," he said.
Mohamed accused the Somalia National Olympic Committee and the Somali Football Federation of being the country's biggest obstacles to sports development.
The exclusion of Mohamed has led to public criticism, with social media users calling for an investigation into the selection process and accountability from the National Olympic Committee. Many Somalis had expected Mohamed to represent the country in Paris 2024, given his historic achievement in Accra.
In March, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud conferred the highest national honour in sports to Abdullahi Jama Mohamed, recognizing his remarkable achievement in the 5000-meter event at the 13th African Games in Accra. Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama also welcomed Mohamed to the country following his historic win.
Mo Farah, the four-time Olympic gold medalist and Somali-born British retired distance runner, also congratulated Abdullahi Jama Mohamed on his silver medal win at the African Games in Ghana.
The controversy surrounding Mohamed's exclusion highlights broader issues of corruption and nepotism within Somali athletics. In August 2023, the Somali sports community was scandalized when Nasra Abukar Ali, an untrained athlete and niece of Khadija Aden Dahir, the senior vice-president of the Somali Athletics Federation, competed in the 100m race at the World University Games in Chengdu, China. Ali's performance, finishing the race in 21.81 seconds, was widely mocked and criticized.
The Somali Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Barre Mohamud, publicly apologized for the incident and suspended Dahir. An investigation revealed that Ali had no background in running or sports and that the Somali University Sports Association, which allegedly sent her, did not exist. The Ministry pledged legal action against those involved in falsifying the sports association and defaming Somalia's reputation internationally.
Abdullahi Jama Mohamed competes in the men's 5000m final at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, where he clinched a silver medal. This victory marks Somalia's first medal on the global stage in over 35 years. CREDIT / Screengrab