Connect with us

Athletics

IAAF Clears American-Born Athletes for Nigeria

Published

on

The International Amateur Athletics Federation, IAAF, has granted the wish of middle distance runner, Edosie Ibadin and quarter miler,  Emerald Egwin to switch allegiance from their country of birth, USA to their parents’ country, Nigeria.

The duo had been registered by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria for the ongoing world championships in London, but the IAAF rejected their registration and asked for further proofs that they are bona fide Nigerians.

This was done with the athletes presenting their parents’ birth certificates. Their clearance to wear the green and white colours of Nigeria was thus granted and the Edo State born Edosie was thus permited to be in action in the men’s 800m on Saturday while Egwin will have to wait till the penultimate day of the championships to compete when the women’s 4x400m relay team take to the track at the Olympic Stadium.

The inclusion of the duo brings to 20 the number of athletes Nigeria has registered for the competition. Meanwhile quarter-miler Yinka Ajayi was expected to join the team Saturday morning after getting her visa from the British embassy in Nigeria while Abike Egbeniyi who will be competing in the women’s 4x400m relay will have to make another trip to the embassy on Monday for her visa.

Three journalists, Esan Oludare of Complete Sports, Charles Ogundiya of New Telegraph newspapers and Tunde Eludini are also waiting on the embassy to grant their entry visas to cover the championships which began on Friday in London.

Advertisement

While the duo of Ogundiya and Eludini will be covering their first IAAF worlds, Esan will be going for his ninth after covering the sixth edition in Athens, Greece, the seventh in Sevilla, Spain, the eighth in Edmonton, Canada in 2001 as well as the ninth in Paris in 2003, the 11th in Osaka, Japan in 2007,the 12th in Berlin, Germany in 2009, the 14th in Moscow, Russia four years ago and the 15th edition two years ago in Beijing, China

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Athletics

Behold, CAS statement on Tobi Amusan

Published

on

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and  WADA.

The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.

Here is the full statement of CAS.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by

World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).

Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.

The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.

In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month

Advertisement

period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.

The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.

Continue Reading

Athletics

Tobi Amusan floors WADA and World Athletics!

Published

on

Tobi Amusan’s Trial Begins Today -

Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.

 She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.

The athlete  was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.

The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.

CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”

Advertisement

Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.

She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.

World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.

Continue Reading

Athletics

Tobi Amusan thanks God for success at CAS in doping case

Published

on

An elated Nigeria’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan has thanked God for her success in an appeal filled against her by the Athletics Integrity Unit  of the World Athletics.

Had the appeal been upheld, ,Amusan would  have has to miss the Paris 2024 Olymoics.

“It’s ALL GOD” Amusan said in an Instagram post alongside the court’s announcement.

Amusan, who broke the world record during her semi-final race at the 2022 world championships, is a hot favourite in her signature event at the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.

World Athletics and WADA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Most Viewed