The Chinese Embassy has denied claims that it delayed the visas of Nigerian athletes planning to participate in the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.
China attributes the development to a misunderstanding over visa processing timelines.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria had earlier cited visa delays by Chinese authorities as the reason for the team’s withdrawal from the competition, scheduled to take place from May 10 to 11, 2025.
However, speaking via a statement issued in Abuja, the Chinese Embassy expressed regret over the athletes’ absence but maintained that it had acted promptly and efficiently upon receiving a request for assistance from the Nigerian National Sports Commission.
The statement reads, “On April 24, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission of Nigeria (dated 22 April) requesting assistance in processing visas for Nigerian athletes to participate in the event in China.
“The Embassy immediately communicated with the Commission and guided it to prepare the relevant materials to expedite the visa application.
“On May 6, the China Visa Application Centre received the relevant application materials submitted by the Nigerian athletes. The Embassy immediately activated the expedited procedure, provided the utmost assistance to the Nigerian applicants, and completed the visa issuance on May 8.”
The Embassy emphasised its continued commitment to fostering bilateral cooperation in sports and people-to-people exchanges.
It noted that visa processing is subject to national sovereignty and requires proper documentation and reasonable timeframes, consistent with international standards.
The statement added, “The Embassy of China 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 visa applications in an efficient and professional manner.
“It should be noted as well that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, and all foreign embassies require applicants to provide the corresponding documents and materials, as well as allow sufficient time for the application process.
“We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time, but the statement issued by the AFN is clearly inconsistent with the facts.”
While expressing disappointment over the athletes’ non-participation, the Embassy described the AFN’s claims as inconsistent with the facts and reiterated its willingness to support future sports collaborations between China and Nigeria.