Athletics
ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT WARNS ON PROHIBITED ASSOCIATION
BY MIKE ROWBOTTOM
Athletes here coached by Alberto Salazar, banned for four years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), are receiving notice from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) prohibiting them from future association.
They include Sifan Hassan, the Ethiopian-born athlete now representing The Netherlands who won the women’s 10,000 metres title here on Saturday (September 28) in only her second race at the distance and is eyeing gold in either the 1,500m or 5,000m.
David Howman, chairman of the AIU, exclusively told insidethegames: “Salazar has been stripped of his accreditation for this event, and that means that notices have to be given to the athletes under his coaching so that they don’t associate with him now that he has been banned.
“No athlete can be charged with prohibited association unless they have been notified about the coach or person they shouldn’t be associated with.
“So we have to give them written, formal notices to say ‘you cannot associate with your coach’.
“We are doing that today.”
Howman stressed there was no direct assumption made about any athlete who may have worked with Salazar.
“An athlete is not guilty by association,” he said.
“Not unless you then defy the prohibition order, so to speak, and return to the coach.
“There are some athletes who will be under our auspices, and some that will be given notice by USADA.
“All we are doing here is notifying those who are here.
“So there are several athletes here who will be getting notices today.
“We just want to make sure that nothing happens here.
“So that’s the immediate issue – making sure the athletes are notified.
“We’ll put something up on our website, USADA will put something up on their website – notice can be by a number of methods.
“But we just chose here for it to be the old-fashioned notice – here’s your piece of paper.”
USADA said Salazar’s punishment was for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct” as head coach of the Nike Oregon Project (NOP), a camp designed primarily to develop US endurance athletes.
It was attended for some years by Britain’s multiple Olympic and world champion Mo Farah until he severed his contract and switched coaches.
USADA said Salazar trafficked banned performance-enhancing substance testosterone to multiple athletes.
Salazar was also said to have tampered, or attempted to tamper, with NOP athletes’ doping control process, the agency said after concluding its four-year investigation.
Jeffrey Brown, who worked as a paid consultant endocrinologist for NOP on performance enhancement and served as a physician for numerous athletes in the training programme, also received a four-year ban.
Asked how big a coup the USADA announcement was in the battle against doping in athletes, Howman responded: “I have to read the decision before I make a comment – and it’s a 142-page decision.
“But it seems to me that what USADA did was an extraordinarily good job in terms of pulling together cases involving not only Salazar, but also the doctor.
“But to know what the tribunal decided in relation to the evidence I don’t know, so I would like to read it very carefully, and then I could say ‘Well this is pretty pivotal, this doesn’t matter’, and so forth.”
Howman said that the relevant section in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code regarding association had been brought in to play a month ago in relation to the Russian race-walking coach Vladimir Kazarin.
“He was continuing to coach although he had been banned,” he said.
“So we had to have an extra sanction imposed on the athletes he was coaching because they knew that he was banned.
“You also have to appreciate, of course, that those who have been sanctioned have got rights of appeal.
“So we want to be careful about over-stating and over-suggesting.”
To read the full decision on Salazar click here.
For the full judgement on Brown click here.
-insidethegames
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has officially set the ball rolling for the selection of Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, announcing June 20 to 22 as the dates for the national trials in Lagos.
The three-day championship, scheduled for the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex, will serve as the sole selection event for athletes seeking to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
In a statement released by the federation, the AFN emphasised that participation in the trials is compulsory for all athletes aspiring to make Team Nigeria, making the competition a critical stage in the country’s preparations for the Games.
The event is expected to attract the nation’s leading track and field stars, alongside a new generation of emerging talents eager to secure a place on the national team.
A total of 32 events for men and women will be contested during the championships, offering athletes opportunities to demonstrate their readiness for international competition.
However, the federation announced that participation in the men’s and women’s 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres events will be limited to athletes who have attained the prescribed qualifying standards. All other track and field events will remain open to eligible competitors.
According to the AFN, the arrangement is designed to ensure that only athletes who have demonstrated the required level of performance compete in the sprint events while maintaining broad participation across other disciplines.
Athletes are expected to arrive in Lagos on June 19, with departures scheduled for June 23.
To support athletes in their quest for qualification, the federation announced that accommodation will be provided to competitors who have achieved the stipulated qualifying marks during the qualification period. The list of eligible athletes is expected to be published in the coming days.
The trials are expected to produce intense competition as athletes battle for limited places on Team Nigeria. With the country traditionally regarded as one of Africa’s leading athletics nations, selection is likely to be fiercely contested across several events.
AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, described the trials as a major milestone in Nigeria’s build-up to Glasgow 2026 and called on athletics enthusiasts and stakeholders to support the athletes throughout the championship.
Okowa expressed confidence that the event would help identify the country’s strongest athletes and provide selectors with the best possible team for the Commonwealth Games.
He also commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission for its continued support of the federation, noting that the backing has strengthened efforts to develop athletics and enhance elite athletes’ performance.
With the countdown to the Commonwealth Games gathering momentum, attention will now shift to Lagos, where athletes will compete for the opportunity to wear Nigeria’s green-and-white colours on one of the biggest stages in international sport.
For hopefuls targeting Glasgow 2026, the message from the AFN is clear: the journey to the Commonwealth Games begins at the YABATECH Sports Complex this month.
The Akwa Ibom State Government’s sustained investment in sports development under Governor Umo Eno is beginning to produce significant results, with athletes from the state returning from the African Senior Athletics Championship in Ghana with medals and qualifications for future international competitions.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, during a reception held at his office for athletes from the state who represented Nigeria at the continental championship staged in Ghana from May 10 to 17.
The athletes delivered impressive performances for Team Nigeria, winning gold medals in relay events and reinforcing the growing reputation of Akwa Ibom as one of the country’s emerging hubs for athletics excellence.
Speaking during the reception, Bassey praised the athletes for making both the state and Nigeria proud, attributing their achievements to the deliberate sports development policies introduced by Governor Eno’s administration.
According to him, the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports by the governor reflects the administration’s determination to give sports-focused attention and create opportunities for athletes to thrive at both national and international levels.
“Akwa Ibom is proud of you. You did not just qualify to represent the country; you went there and won gold medals,” Bassey said.
“Sports have always thrived in the state, but the renewed intentionality of His Excellency inspires us greatly. That is why he established a stand-alone Ministry of Sports to ensure focused attention on the sector. We sincerely appreciate his unwavering support.”
The commissioner assured the athletes and their coaches that the government would continue to honour and support them despite the political activities leading up to next year’s elections.
He added that the administration remains committed to projecting Akwa Ibom athletes to greater heights on the global sporting stage.
Head Coach of the state Athletics Association, Dan Umoette, also commended the state government and the Ministry of Sports for their consistent support, saying the encouragement has motivated athletes to pursue excellence and podium finishes.
Umoette revealed that three Akwa Ibom athletes were part of the Nigerian relay quartet that won gold in the 4×400 metres event at the championship.
One of the athletes, Comfort James, Nigeria’s women’s 800 metres record holder, described the government’s public backing as a major morale booster.
“We have not enjoyed opportunities like this before, where the entire government and the Ministry of Sports openly support us,” she said.
“It has boosted our morale and helped us stand out. We hope to do even more in future competitions because we know we are not limited.”
Among the Akwa Ibom athletes who represented Nigeria at the championship were Esther Okon and Jacinta Lawrence, who won gold in the women’s 4×400 metres relay final.
Ezekiel Eno Asuquo and Victor Sampson also claimed gold medals in the mixed 4×400 metres relay event.
Other members of the contingent included Comfort James in the women’s 800 metres and Clergy Edet in the women’s high jump competition.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Sports present at the reception included Permanent Secretary Mrs Rosemary Ubia, Director of Sports Mrs Brigid Otton, Director of Organising Mrs Margaret Ekpo, and Director of Coaching and Technical Unit Mrs Kate Ekuta.
Also present were coaches Kenti Christopher and Janet Ba.
JOIN THE SPORTS VILLAGE SQUARE CHANNEL:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
FIFA Expresses Regret Over Referee’s U.S. Entry Denial Ahead of World Cup
England’s Spence Follows Osimhen’s Masked Path to World Cup
Nigeria’s Loss, France’s Gain as Olise Underlines World Cup Importance with Hat-Trick
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup1 week ago
Iran beat Gambia as federation seeks FIFA clarity over visas
- World Cup1 week ago
Attack-minded Ivorians bullish ahead of World Cup return
- World Cup5 days ago
Rema, Davido, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr Make FIFA’s Star-Studded World Cup 2026 Official Album
- World Cup4 days ago
FIFA bans vuvuzelas from World Cup stadiums
- World Cup4 days ago
Shakira to Headline FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony in Mexico
- International Football2 days ago
Eriksen Suffers Fresh Collapse During Denmark Friendly, Reviving Memories of Euro 2020 Ordeal
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Soname Rewards Flamingos with N4.5m Goal Bonus After Guinea Rout
- World Cup2 days ago
Pelé’s 1970 World Cup Hideaway Becomes Tourist Attraction as Mexico Hosts Tournament for Record Third Time