The South African men’s 4x400m relay team has been granted a spot in the Olympic final following the disqualification of the Nigerian team due to a lane infringement. Despite finishing second in their semifinal heat with a season-best time of 2:59.81, the Nigerian quartet—Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie—will not compete in the final.
The disqualification stemmed from a violation of World Athletics competition rule 17.2.3, which requires athletes to remain within their allocated lanes throughout the race. Lead-off runner Ojeli’s infringement led to the team’s removal from the final, allowing South Africa to take their place.
In another setback for Nigeria, sprint star Tobi Amusan also failed to qualify for the Women’s 100m hurdles final, finishing third in her heat with a time of 12.55 seconds. These developments mark a disappointing day for Nigerian athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympics.