China denies blame for Nigeria’s absence at World Relays, rejects AFN’s visa claims

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria has firmly refuted allegations by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) that visa delays were responsible for the country’s failure to participate in the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.

In a statement issued Saturday from Abuja, the Chinese Embassy described the AFN’s accusations as “clearly inconsistent with the facts,” offering a comprehensive timeline of events that directly contradicts the federation’s claims.

According to the Embassy, the first official communication requesting visa support was received from Nigeria’s National Sports Commission on April 24, based on a letter dated April 22—barely two weeks before the start of the international athletics competition.

“The Embassy promptly engaged the Commission, offering guidance on preparing the required documents to expedite the process,” the statement explained.

Contrary to AFN’s assertion that efforts to obtain visas had been ongoing since February, the Embassy disclosed that the athletes’ visa applications were only submitted to the China Visa Application Centre on May 6.

Despite the extremely short notice, expedited processing was activated, and all visas were successfully issued by May 8—just two days before the relays were set to begin.

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“The Embassy of China in Nigeria has always actively supported people-to-people and sports cooperation between the two countries,” the statement read.

“We have consistently welcomed Nigerian athletes to participate in events in China and provided efficient, professional assistance in processing visa applications.”

While the Embassy expressed regret that Nigerian athletes ultimately did not make it to the competition, it emphasized that visa issuance remains a sovereign matter and requires timely submission of complete documentation to ensure a smooth process.

“We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time, but the statement issued by the AFN is clearly inconsistent with the facts,” it added.

The clarification follows a statement by the AFN on Friday, in which the federation announced its withdrawal from the World Athletics Relays, blaming what it described as “unacceptable visa delays” by Chinese authorities.

“With deep regret, we, the AFN, announce our withdrawal from the World Relays following unacceptable visa delays by Chinese authorities. In spite of our diligent efforts since February, our athletes have faced numerous obstacles,” the AFN stated.

The AFN’s version of events has now been called into question by the Embassy’s detailed timeline, which appears to indicate that the delay in visa applications originated from within Nigeria’s own administrative process, rather than from Chinese diplomatic channels.

In its closing remarks, the Chinese Embassy reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening bilateral relations through sport and other areas of cooperation.

“We remain committed to fostering friendly exchanges between China and Nigeria, and will continue to work toward enhancing mutual understanding and collaboration in all sectors,” the statement said.