Athletics

After Kenya’s Agnes Tirop, another Olympics athlete is killed

Published

3 years ago

October 23, 2021

Barely a week after the murder of Kenya’s Agnes Tirop, Ecuadorian 2012 Summer Olympics athlete, Álex Quiñónez was killed Friday in the port city of Guayaquil (southwest) , where he lived, for reasons still being investigated.

The death was confirmed by Roberto Ibáñez, president of the Guayas Sports Federation , in a Twitter message in which he expressed the immense pain caused by the death of Quiñónez, a 32-year-old born in the province of Esmeraldas (northwest).

“My heart is totally shattered, I can’t find words to describe the emptiness I feel,” Ibáñez wrote on his social network account.

“I cannot believe it, until when are we going to continue living so much evil and insecurity,” added the sports leader, referring to the fact that the city of Guayaquil has become the focus of the rise in delinquency and crime.

“Rest in peace dear Alex, I’m going to miss you all my life,” concluded Ibáñez.

According to unofficial sources, Quiñónez and a friend of his, Jojairo Arcalla , were shot dead by unknown persons, in the area known as Colinas de la Florida, in Guayaquil.

Social networks in Ecuador ignited with the news of the murder of Quiñónez, which occurred on the fourth day of a state of emergency declared by the country’s president, Guillermo Lasso, to try to stop the increase in crime .

Joint operations between the military and the police have been concentrated in several provinces of Ecuador, especially in the coastal area of Guayas, whose capital is Guayaquil, where there have been several violent deaths in recent weeks.

The Ministry of Sports also reacted to the death of Quiñónez and remarked that “the best sprinter in the history of our country” was assassinated . That State portfolio, in a statement, reported that the competent authorities are investigating the case and expressed its condolences to the athlete’s family, friends and fellow athletes.

Quiñónez was unable to compete at the Tokyo Olympics this year , following a decision by the International Olympic Committee, which suspended his participation after failing to report for a routine doping control. The athlete appealed the ruling, but the sanction was upheld and he could not be registered for Tokyo.

With records of 10.09 seconds in the 100 meters and 19.87 in the 200 , Quiñónez has been the best Ecuadorian in the discipline and reached fifth place in the Diamond League in 2019, when he also reached third place in that year’s World Athletics Championships in Doha.

His record includes a series of trophies as champion in Pan American, Latin American, South American and Bolivarian games , among others.

-Marca

Athletics

Record 6000 runners register for 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run

Published

3 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.

The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.

Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.

Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.

The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.

Athletics

Behold, CAS statement on Tobi Amusan

Published

3 months ago

June 29, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

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.

Athletics

Tobi Amusan floors WADA and World Athletics!

Published

3 months ago

June 29, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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.”

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.