Quotes printed by The Guardian newspaper in Nigeria, attributed to the National Sport Commission's Director General Al Hassan Yakmu, were highly critical of the sprinter and long jumper and told her to "not bother" about Rio after she competed at last week's Diamond League meeting in Zurich.

Her appearance in Switzerland came after Okagbare pulled out of the 200m at last month's World Championships in Beijing due to a hamstring injury, and she is also not part of the Nigeria team which has travelled to the Republic of Congo's capital Brazzaville for the ongoing All-Africa Games.

The Director General told the Guardian: "I was shocked when I saw Okagbare competing in the Diamond League in Zurich last Thursday.

"I was wondering if it was the same Okagbare who refused to compete for Nigeria in the 200m event at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing.

"She even opted out of Team Nigeria for the All-Africa Games in Congo.

 “I have said it times without number that any athlete who feels too big to compete for Nigeria in the All-Africa Games should not bother about the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

"No athlete is bigger than Nigeria."

However, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria have rejected that a ban is in place, and contradicted Yakmu in a statement.

"Even if Okagbare has done something and we intend to punish her, the secretary general will first write her a letter inviting her to face a disciplinary committee where she will defend herself against the allegation," it read.

"After a fair hearing, the disciplinary committee will make a recommendation to the board, and the board will now decide.’’

Okagbare won an Olympic long jump bronze medal at Beijing 2008.

She also won the 100m and 200m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and claimed World Championship silver in the long jump at Moscow 2013, as well as bronze in the 200m.

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