The Ministry of Youth and Sports have ordered the sack of Sunday Adeleye from his position as technical director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria in what appears to be the first in a series of sweeping reforms of the athletics body.

The ministry has also directed the recall of the AFN’s secretary-general with a new one to be appointed in the coming days.

Adeleye has been under pressure ever since the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha where an administrative mixup by the AFN nearly cost Divine Oduduru and Blessing Okagbare their places at the meet.

He was recalled and issued a query over that incident and Sports Minister Sunday Dare later instituted a nine-person Ministerial Advisory Committee to access the reasons behind Nigeria’s disappointing outing in Doha where the country returned a solitary bronze medal won by Ese Brume in the long jump.

The panel which submitted its report last week was also tasked with determining Adeleye’s fate and their verdict was that he be relieved of his position as part of a larger reordering of the AFN.

The decision was communicated to the AFN president Shehu Ibrahim Gusau in a letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development which directed Gusau to inform Adeleye of his removal.

Parts of the missive read: “Consequent on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, I am further directed to convey the directive of the Honourable Minister for the immediate removal from office of Mr. Sunday Adeleye as Technical Director of the AFN on account of ascertained Gross Misconduct. Accordingly, you are directed to convey to Mr. Sunday Adeleye in writing this directive and evidence of compliance delivered to the Honourable Minister.”