The first-ever Enugu City International Marathon—envisioned as the premier road race in southeastern Nigeria—has encountered a major setback as the Enugu State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) announced a press boycott.
Scheduled for May 3, 2025, the marathon is expected to draw more than 100 elite athletes from across the globe, including some of Nigeria’s top runners. The event is part of a larger initiative to establish Enugu as a center for international sports tourism and community engagement.
Controversy erupted when SWAN Chairman, Gideon Iwueke, criticized the event’s media coordination. According to Iwueke, the association was excluded from the planning of the press briefing, which he claims was not managed by the appropriate ministry.
“It is quite unfortunate that this marathon press briefing is becoming very controversial,” Iwueke stated. “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 emphasized that SWAN remains unified and would not officially support the marathon. “Anyone attending is doing so in their personal capacity,” he added.
In response to the controversy, numerous sports journalists have withdrawn from covering the event, raising concerns about the level of media attention the marathon will receive.
As of the time of this report, neither the marathon organizers nor the Enugu State Ministry of Youth and Sports had issued a statement addressing the boycott.
