Members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Enugu State Chapter have withdrawn from media coverage of the International Marathon expected to kick-start in Enugu on Saturday, May 3.
This followed a protest over the non-involvement of members of SWAN as a body in press conference and other activities ahead of the global competition in the coal city.
Chairman, SWAN, Enugu State Chapter, Gideon Iwueke of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), raised the concerns about the handling of media coordination of the event.
Iwueke claimed the press briefing was organised without the involvement of the association, prompting him to distance the association from the event entirely.
“It is quite unfortunate that this marathon press briefing is becoming very controversial,” Iweke said.
“I just received an invitation and was informed it wasn’t coordinated by the ministry. This seems like a calculated attempt to divide the media.”
He added that SWAN remains united and would not lend official support to the marathon. “Anyone attending is doing so in their personal capacity,” he concluded.
The fallout has led to a widespread pullout by sports journalists, casting doubt over media coverage for what was intended to be a landmark event in the region’s sporting calendar.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the event organisers nor the Enugu State Ministry of Youth and Sports had released an official statement addressing the boycott.
The marathon is expected to attract over 100 elite runners from around the world, including top Nigerian athletes, as part of a broader vision to position Enugu as a hub for global sports tourism and community engagement.
