October 11, (THEWILL) – Nigerian cyclist, Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye, has been unable to compete in two major cycling events due to travel arrangement failures, potentially jeopardising her top African ranking.
Ukpeseraye, the continent’s number one ranked cyclist, missed both the World Championship in Zurich and the African Cycling Championship in Kenya where she was set to defend her title.
In a statement on social media, Ukpeseraye said: “Those responsible for my travel arrangements did not fulfil their obligations. I am unable to defend my title, and it may be lost due to this missed opportunity.”
The cyclist also announced her departure from her current team, signalling a significant shift in her professional career. Despite these setbacks, Ukpeseraye expressed determination to remain positive.
However, in what is another setback for the athlete after the embarrassing situation in the Paris Olympics where she had to borrow the bicycle she needed for her event because it was not provided for her by Nigeria, this situation raises questions about the support systems in place for top athletes in Nigeria and the potential impact of administrative issues on sporting careers.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
