Athletics

AFN sets up new anti-doping commission following Tokyo 2020 block for 10 athletes

Published

3 years ago

August 6, 2021

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has apologised to the nation for the failures that led to 10 athletes being precluded from Olympic Games here and has announced the creation of a new medical and anti-doping commission.

In a statement issued by the Federation and signed by its President, Tonobok Okowa, the track and field governing body in Nigeria insisted it was taking responsibility for the inaction of the immediate past Board that led to the suspension of the athletes from Tokyo 2020 for having had insufficient doping tests.

The apology was directed to the country’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, to the Youth and Sports Minister, Sunday Dare and to “all Nigerians”.

“As a new Board, we have to take responsibility for the inaction of our predecessors and assure Nigerians that appropriate measures will always be taken at all times and in compliance with relevant World Athletics competition and anti-doping rules to protect our athletes,” Okowa said.

The AFN’s new seven-man medical and Anti-Doping Commission will be headed by Professor Ken Anugweje.

The national governing body claimed the announcement of the members of the new Commission has become “very necessary” as the AFN is determined to ensure Nigeria is removed from the unwanted categorisation as one of World Athletics Member Federations deemed to have the highest doping risk and considered as a threat to the overall integrity of the sport.

“The Commission has been charged with the responsibility of ensuring Nigeria is, within a reasonable period of time removed from the list of seven countries World Athletics and the Athletics Integrity Unit have named to have the highest doping risk and considered as a threat to the overall integrity of athletics,” said Okowa.

“They are also to ensure appropriate anti-doping measures are in place in accordance with World Athletics anti-doping rules so that the Federation can prevent a repeat of the disqulification of our athletes at global international competitions.”

A total of 20 athletes from the seven nations deemed most at-risk when it comes to doping have been ruled out of the Games.

The figure of 10 Nigerians represented more than 40 per cent of the track and field team the country had entered for the Olympics.

Three athletes from Ukraine, one Moroccan, one from Ethiopia and three from Belarus were also been struck off the entry lists.

Two Kenyan athletes were deemed non-eligible, but Athletics Kenya replaced them before submitting its final entries to World Athletics.

Bahrain is the final Category A country, but all 13 of its athletes have been cleared to compete.

Category A National Federations are deemed by the AIU to be the most susceptible to doping so must meet certain extra requirements to be able to select an athlete for the Olympic Games or World Championships.

On Saturday (July 31) one of the Nigerian athletes who was cleared to compete, sprinter Blessing Okagbare, was provisionally suspended and will miss the remainder of Tokyo 2020 after testing positive for human growth hormone.

The world and Olympic medallist, who had won her race in the 100 metres heats, failed an out-of-competition test taken on July 19 and informed of her suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on the morning when she was due to run in the semi-finals.

So far in the athletics programme at Tokyo 2020, Nigeria has won one bronze, earned by Ese Brume with an effort of 6.97 metres in the long jump that was won by Germany’s world champion Malaika Mihambo with a last-round effort of 7.00m.

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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.