A sports minister has apologised and an athletics official suspended after farcical scenes at the World University Games which saw a ‘sprinter’ take almost twice as long as the winner to finish in women’s 100m qualifying.

There was some confusion as Nasra Abubakar Ali completed the race in China in 21.81, over 10 seconds behind the winner, and crossed the line with a little skip in her step.

The Somali Ministry of Youth and Sport has conducted an investigation and discovered that she is ‘not a sports person, nor a runner’.

As such, the chairwoman of the Somali Athletics Federation, Khadijo Aden Dahir, has been suspended and accused of ‘abuse of power, nepotism, and defaming the name of the nation.’

The exact relationship between Dahir and Ali has not been confirmed but Ali is thought to be Dahir’s niece.

Sports minister Mohamed Barre Mohamud spoke out on the situation, saying: ‘What happened today was not representation of the Somali people… we apologise to the Somali people.’

There has also been the threat of legal action against the Somali Athletics Federation and any others who were involved in a body called the Somali University Sports Association which has since turned out not to exist.

Brazil’s Gabriela Silva Mourão won the race in 11.58 seconds, with Ali a long way out of the shot as the winner crossed the line.  By Phil Haigh, Metro