Sports
Nigerian Athletics Body Admits ‘Lapses’ Over Athletes’ Doping Tests
- “The AFN bears responsibility for any lapses that may have occurred during the process…”
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), on Thursday, admitted “lapses” on its part over the disqualification of 10 athletes from the Tokyo Olympics for not complying with out-of-competition drug testing requirements.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had announced the disqualification of the competitors on Wednesday.
In a statement on its official website on Thursday, President of the AFN, Tonobok Okowa stated he had appointed a new head to oversee that necessary requirement were met in the future for Nigeria’s eligibility in international competitions.
Read also: Ten Nigerian Athletes Banned From Tokyo Olympics
“President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Tonobok Okowa has appointed Prof. Ken Anugweje as the Head of the Medical and Anti Doping Commission of the Federation following the Athletics Integrity Unit’s decision to disqualify 10 Nigerian athletes from competing at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics due to uncompleted Out of Competition Tests (OCTs).”
“The AFN bears responsibility for any lapses that may have occurred during the process and reassures Nigerians that our performances (at Tokyo Olympics) will not be negatively impacted,” it said in a statement.
“All our athletes resident in Nigeria and who qualified for the Olympic Games completed the three mandatory tests,” it said.
“Most of our top athletels resident in the USA also completed their tests,” the AFN said.
“However, a few athletes in the American collegiate system were tested, but those tests were deemed not to have complied with WADA (world anti-doping agency) sample collection and analysis standards.”
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