SOMALIA has suspended an athletics boss after a sprinter went viral for her snail-paced 100 metre dash.
Nasra Abukar Ali, 20, plodded to the finish in a time of 21.81 seconds a long way behind her rivals at the World University Games in China on Tuesday.
Winner Gabriela Mourao, from Brazil, ran the same distance in nearly half that time.
And an investigation by the Somali Ministry of Youth and Sport has since revealed Ali is “not a sports person, nor a runner.”
A sports body known as the Somali University Sports Association has also been found to not exist.
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And the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, Khadijo Adan Dahir, has been suspended for “nepotism” – while also being accused of “abusing her power while defaming the name of Somalia.”
It did not address reports on social media that Dahir was Ali’s aunt.
Ali’s incredibly slow sprint went viral around the world this week, with the athlete clearly out of her depth alongside competitors from other countries.
As others charged over the finish line, Ali was still trotting along at a snail’s pace, with TV cameras struggling to pick her up.
Some spectators branded it the “slowest-ever” 100m sprint.
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One said: “Despite our sister’s efforts, apparently she is not skilled at this task. The people behind this shame must be held accountable.”
Another declared: “Did they just pick a random person to go? Could have at least taken someone fit.”
One noted: “There’s no effort here. She should’ve saved herself by saying no.”
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Another added: “This is the most nepotism I’ve seen in years.”
The Somali Athletics Federation will now open an investigation into how Ali was selected.
The connection between her and suspended chairwoman Dahir is still unknown.
But Sports Minister Mohammed Barre Mohamud apologised to fellow Somalis for the embarrassing spectacle.
He said: “What happened yesterday was not representation of the Somali people… we apologise to the Somali family.”