A Somali sports official was suspended for nepotism on Wednesday after a viral video showed an apparent novice runner skipping across the finish line in last place at an international competition.
The video, which circulated widely on Wednesday, showed Nasro Abukar Ali competing in the third heat of the first round of the women’s 100-meter race at the International University Sports Federation’s (FISU) Summer World University Games in China.
Ali starts sluggishly out of the blocks as the other runners burst forward, and quickly fades far behind the pack before jogging toward the finish line and ending with a small skip.
She finished in 21.81 seconds – more than 8 seconds slower than the second-last runner, and more than 10 seconds behind the winner of the heat.
The video immediately made waves on social media, prompting ridicule, disbelief, and for some, anger.
