Athletics

ACCESS BANK LAGOS CITY MARATHON FLAGS-OFF UNDER STRICT COVID-19 GUIDELINES

Published

3 years ago

April 9, 2021

The 2021 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will flag off on Saturday, April 10, 2021, at the traditional starting point, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos under strict Covid-19 guidelines.

Organisers have assured all the ingredients that have made the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon a sought after race by elite runners across the world, runners representatives, thousands of fun runners are in place.

In just its sixth edition, the Lagos race has won prestigious labels like World Athletics Bronze; Silver and Elite Race labels will be presented.

Also, all the World Athletics and AIMS requirement for label races like gold and silver labelled runners from the pool of 300 runners recognized by World Athletics will be present ditto timing by Mylaps, use of transponders chips, mats at the start, 10km, 21km, 35km and the finish point, spy cameras along the route and other technical requirements for an elite label race will be present.

However, the over 100,000 runners that normally stand tall at the start point of the 10km and the full marathon which makes the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon one of the top five races in the world in terms of attendance will be absent because of Covid-19.

Yussuf Alli General Manager Access Bank Lagos City Marathon told journalists at a world press conference to unveil the plan for the 2021 race on Friday at Molade Okoya Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos that only 300 runners will participate in this edition because of strict Covid-19 guideline handed the organizers by the Lagos State Safety Commission and the world governing body of athletics, the World Athletics.

Alli told the media that most of the elite runners are gold and silver labelled runners.

Alli also revealed that runners must wear a face mask and observe other Covid-19 protocol guidelines at the start of the race, “but they are free to either remove the mask immediately the race start or wear it until they get to the 400m point”.

The General Manager said all technical officers and other categories of staff including security men and volunteers must wear their face mask at all time.

Unlike in the previous edition where volunteers assist in water distribution, this year runners will pick their waters and fruits by themselves.

Bukola Olopade Project Consultant Access Bank Lagos City Marathon appealed to Lagosians to please watch the race from the comfort of their homes,

“There will be no zone for entertainment at the finish; we are not being joined by any musicians or comedian. As matter of fact there won’t be a single DJ at the finish, the events will be live on cable and terrestrial television stations so we appeal to everybody to watch at home”

Olopade also appealed to journalists to follow the event from live television, the social media handle of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon and the website.

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.