A viral video emerged of Abubakar Ali clocking 21.81 in the third heat of the women's 100m at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Stadium, with Turkmenistan's Alsu Habibulina the next-slowest athlete in 13.15.

Abubakar Ali is reported to have had no prior experience competing in a major event, and there have been claims she is a relative of Dahir.

Sports Minister Mohamed Barre Mohamud apologised and insisted "what happened today was not representation of the Somali people".

He said an investigation had been launched into Somalia's team selection for Chengdu 2021, which found "Abubakar Ali has been identified as not sports person not a runner" and Dahir has "engaged in acts of abuse of power, nepotism, and defaming the name of the nation".

Mohamud ordered the Somalia National Olympic Committee to suspend Dahir and hold an urgent Executive Committee meeting to discuss its intended action.

He added "the Ministry of Youth and Sports firmly declares its intention to pursue legal action against both the chairman of the Athletics Federation of Somalia and individuals responsible for the falsification of the Somali University Sports Association".

Abubakar Ali's time is displayed in Chengdu 2021's results, but not World Athletics'.

The Summer edition of the FISU Games is being held for the first time in four years in the Chinese city of Chengdu, and is due to run until Tuesday (August 8).

The competition is open to student-athletes aged up to 27, after an extension from the usual age limit of 25 to account for the two-year delay due to COVID-19.