Claims that it postponed the visas of Nigerian athletes who intended to compete in the Guangzhou, China, 2025 World Athletics Relays have been refuted by the Chinese Embassy.
The event is attributed by China to a miscommunication regarding the timeliness of visa processing.
Prior to this, the team had withdrawn from the competition, which was set for May 10–11, 2025, citing Chinese officials’ delays in issuing visas.
But in a statement released in Abuja, the Chinese Embassy said it was sorry for the athletes’ absence but insisted that it had responded quickly and effectively to the Nigerian National Sports Commission’s request for help.
“On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated 22 April) asking for help in processing visas for Nigerian athletes to compete in the event in China,” the statement says. The Embassy promptly contacted the Commission and instructed it to have the necessary paperwork ready in order to speed up the visa application process.
Nigerian athletes submitted their pertinent application paperwork to the China Visa Application Center on May 6. The Embassy quickly initiated the expedited process, gave the Nigerian applicants the best support possible, and finished issuing the visas on May 8.
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The Embassy reaffirmed its dedication to promoting bilateral collaboration in cultural exchanges and sports.
It stated that the issuance of visas is governed by national sovereignty and necessitates appropriate documentation and reasonable turnaround times that align with global norms.
The statement went on to say, “The Chinese Embassy 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 applying for visas in a professional and efficient manner.”
It should be mentioned that issuing visas is a matter of national sovereignty. All foreign embassies require applicants to supply the necessary paperwork and materials, and they must also give themselves enough time to complete the application process.
Although we are sorry that the Nigerian athletes were unable to compete in this year’s tournament in China, the AFN’s assertion is obviously false.
The Embassy expressed dissatisfaction about the athletes’ lack of involvement but also characterized the AFN’s assertions as unsupported by the evidence and reaffirmed its readiness to assist future Chinese-Nigerian sporting partnerships.
