Somalian sports minister apologizes after slow 100-meter runner goes viral at university games

By OMAR FARUK
Associated Press

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia’s sports minister has publicly apologized after a seemingly untrained female sprinter represented the African country at the World University Games in China and took more than 20 seconds to finish a 100-meter race. Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Barre Mohamud said his ministry did not know how 20-year-old Nasra Abukar Ali was selected to compete at the event. The ministry separately released a statement directing the Somalia Olympic Committee to suspend national athletics federation chairwoman Khadija Aden Dahir amid allegations that Nasra Abukar was a relative of hers and was given the chance to compete at the games because of that.