Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN president, Chief Solomon Ogba is out to ‘make life difficult’ for majority of the Nigerian athletes hoping to participate in next year’s London 2012 Olympics.

Ogba who declared the federation’s mission statement for the 2012 season in Abuja, stated that only athletes who have potentials to reach the semi-final of their events would make the team to the Olympics.

“We are looking to take only athletes with potentials to the Olympics. The athletes who can reach the semi-final of their events are those in the class we want to make the Games. It does not matter whether they have achieved the A or B standards, which ordinarily qualifies them to participate. Making the standard is not enough for an athlete to participate at the Olympic,” Ogba said.

This position seem far-fetched. This is because only a few athletes, particularly in the sprints and long jump have made the A standard of the Olympics, they could barely form a relay team. At the last Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India a similar position was taken by Chief Ogba and at the end of the day, the team suffered. An athlete like Benjamin Adikwu who was not in the team and had began holidaying was hurriedly sent a ticket to come to India.