By VICTOR OKOYE

Nigeria’s growing influence in global athletics administration has received a major boost following the appointment of Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (Rtd) as an International Referee for the World Athletics Relays, Gaborone 2026.

The event is scheduled to hold from May 2 to May 3 in Botswana.

The historic appointment makes Nesiama the first Nigerian ever to be entrusted with a refereeing role at the World Athletics Relays, one of the most prestigious competitions on the World Athletics calendar.

His engagement was confirmed in a formal communication from the Local Organising Committee of the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026 and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

The confirmation was in recognition of his “expertise” and the confidence World Athletics places in his ability to uphold fairness, professionalism, and technical excellence.

For many within the athletics fraternity, the appointment comes as no surprise.

A highly respected authority in athletics officiating and competition management, Nesiama served as Referee at the 2024 African Games in Accra, Ghana, where he played a pivotal role in delivering seamless technical operations at one of Africa’s biggest multi-sport events.

In addition to officiating, he was also appointed as a World Athletics certified lecturer to train Ghanaian technical officials ahead of the Games, further underlining the international trust in his competence and depth of knowledge.

Nesiama is a former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and currently serves as the Chairman of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Technical and Development Commission, where he continues to influence policy direction and technical growth in Nigerian sports.

He is also a respected member of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Technical and Competitions Commission, contributing to the development and standardisation of athletics competitions across the continent.

Over the years, he has built an impressive résumé that transcends borders.

He has functioned as a Sports Management Consultant, Competition Director, Technical Delegate, World Athletics certified Lecturer, and Silver Level Referee, officiating at numerous national and international championships.

As a prelude to his assignment at the World Relays, Nesiama has also been invited to officiate at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, scheduled to take place a week before the World Relays.

The meet serves as a key test event ahead of the global competition, further demonstrating the confidence placed in his expertise.

His latest appointment not only underscores his individual excellence but also marks a significant milestone for Nigerian athletics administration.

It signals growing international recognition of Nigerian technical officials and their capacity to operate at the highest levels of global sport. (NAN)

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