Somali Sports Minister Apologizes After Viral Video of Unqualified Sprinter in Elite Race

Somalia’s minister of youth and sports issued a public apology after a viral video of an unqualified runner representing the country in the women’s 100 meters at the World University Games in China.

Mohamed Barre Mohamud apologized Wednesday, according to the Associated Press, after 20-year-old Nasra Abukar Ali finished more than 10 seconds behind the winner of the race. Gabriela Mourão of Brazil won with a time of 11.58 seconds. Ali’s time was 21.81. Video of the race, which shows Ali jogging across the finish line, was circulated widely on social media and has been viewed more than 65 million times on Twitter.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports should step down. It's disheartening to witness such an incompetent government. How could they select an untrained girl to represent Somalia in running? It's truly shocking and reflects poorly on our country internationally. pic.twitter.com/vMkBUA5JSL
— Elham Ishmael ✍︎ (@EIshmael_) August 1, 2023

Mohamud said Wednesday that the country’s Olympic committee found no evidence Ali had any experience in running or any other sport. He added that the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, Khadija Aden Dahir, had been suspended for “abuse of power, nepotism, and defaming the name of the nation,” according to Al Jazeera. Ali is allegedly a relative of Dahir’s.

It remains unclear how Ali came to be entered in the race. Somalia’s university union said it had not sent any runners to represent the country at the competition.