The Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) has issued a statement to clarify the controversy surrounding Ese Ukpeseraye’s bicycle for the Paris Olympic Games, refuting reports that she did not have a bike for the competition.
According to Vanguard, CFN President, Engr. Giadomenico Massari, stated that Ukpeseraye was fully prepared for the Road Race event. However, her participation in the track events (Keirin and individual sprint) was a last-minute arrangement, made possible by the disqualification of an Egyptian athlete.
Massari explained that the track events require highly specialized equipment, specifically approved for Olympic track events, which takes several months to deliver.
The CFN, through its supporters and equipment sponsors, secured a bike for Ukpeseraye, facilitated by a partnership with the German team.
The CFN President emphasized that their track bikes, used in world championships, were not approved for Olympic events. The necessary approvals from the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were only received yesterday, enabling Ukpeseraye to compete in the Keirin event and the upcoming individual sprint.
