By: Mnena Iyorkegh, Abuja
The Chinese government has regretted the incident that led to the withdrawal of Nigerian athletes from participating in the Guangzhou World Athletics Relays that was scheduled to be hold in China from May 10 to 11, 2025.
It also reiterated continued commitment to providing support for exchanges in various fields, including sports.
This comes in response to a report by Athletics Federation of Nigeria ( AFN ), announcing its withdrawal from the tournament due to visa delays by the Chinese authorities.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria.
According to the statement, the report issued by AFN is clearly inconsistent with the facts.
The statement noted that the Embassy of China in Nigeria would like to state the following facts and position:
“On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated April 22) requesting assistance in processing visas for Nigerian athletes to participate in the event in China. The Embassy immediately communicated with the Commission and guided it to prepare the relevant materials so as to expedite visa application. On May 6, China Visa Application Centre received the relevant application materials submitted by the Nigerian athletes”.
The statement also explained that the Embassy had immediately activated the expedited procedure, provided the utmost assistance to the Nigerian applicants, and completed the visa issuance on May 8.
“The Embassy of China in Nigeria has always actively supported people-to-people and sports cooperation between the two countries, repeatedly expressed its welcome for Nigerian athletes to participate in events in China, and consistently assisted Nigerian citizens in visa applications in an efficient and professional manner”,
The statement added that: “It should be noted as well that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, and all foreign embassies require applicants to provide the corresponding documents and materials, as well as allow sufficient time for the application process”.
The Embassy of China in Nigeria noted that it remains committed to promoting friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples and stands ready to continue providing support and assistance for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including sports.
