The Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) has issued a firm rebuttal against allegations of neglect made by Olympic athlete Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye, dismissing her claims as “falsehoods and misinformation.”
During a press conference at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Thursday, the Federation addressed the lingering controversy surrounding the Paris 2024 Games.
While Ukpeseraye initially gained global sympathy for competing on a borrowed bike, the narrative has since shifted into a heated dispute over financial support and official accountability.
“In the build up to the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, largely through the personal influence, commitment, and financial support of the Federation,”
Persecondnews correspondent at the news conference quotes CFN President,
Engr. Giadomenico Massari, as saying.
Highlighting his hands-on management of her career, Massari dismissed claims of neglect by detailing the payments made to the cyclist.
“Ukpeseraye was paid roughly ₦2.2 million for her training camp and ₦6.2 million as her official Olympic allowance,” Massari told reporters, citing these figures as proof of the Federation’s commitment.
“In addition, the NOC provided her with a training grant of $5,000 but the president paid the sum of €5,000 (which is higher) into her account to further support her preparation for the games.
“She was part of the team that went to Cairo for the African championship and she won some medals.
“After the championship we did not know the whereabouts of Ese, I called and got in contact with key federration members and they also don’t know her whereabouts.
“It was through the media she tendered her resignation, she has not made any verbal of formal application,” Massari also said.
In stark contrast, Ukpeseraye presents a different version of events.
Speaking to Sports247, she alleged that the Cycling Federation has actively sidelined her since the Paris 2024 Games, stating, “The Federation deprived me of competitions I was supposed to attend.”
“The antics and theatrics were part of what prevented me from returning back to my club and blocked so many opportunities simply because I refused to come out publicly to apologise to them.
“I believe they should be the one apologising to me,” she emphasised.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ukpeseraye revealed she missed key events because officials failed to make travel arrangements.
“Unfortunately, those responsible for my travel arrangements did not fulfill their obligations. As a result, I was unable to defend my title,” she wrote.
Massari highlighted a breakdown in cooperation regarding Ukpeseraye’s career in Europe.
“After a successful first year, she was set to compete in the second year of her contract,” he explained.
“However, she suddenly went dark. She knew we needed to facilitate her visa process to Spain, as we had done before, but she stopped communicating. We were left completely in the dark.”
The Federation’s stance remains firm: support was unwavering until the lines of communication were cut.
Officials describe themselves as “stunned” by the sudden public fallout.
With both sides dug in, the future of Nigeria’s most prominent cyclist remains uncertain, as observers wait to see if the athlete and the Federation can ever pedal in sync again.
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