The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has announced a seven-man Medical and Anti-Doping Commission headed by Professor Ken Anugweje.
Tonobock Okowa, President of the federation made the announcement Sunday in Tokyo on the sidelines of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad.
The national governing body says the announcement of the members of the new commission becomes 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.”
The AFN also apologised to the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the Youth and Sports Minister, Sunday Dare and indeed all Nigerians for the unsavoury event which led to the inability of 10 track and field athletes to compete at the ongoing Olympics.
“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 releveant World Athletics competition and anti-doping rules to protect our athletes,” he said.
Others members of the commssion are Doctors Paul Onyido, Femi Ayorinde, Effi Usen and Bukola Bojuwoye as well as the technical director of the federation (yet to be appointed) while Inwang Israel Mfon will serve as the commission’s secretary.
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COMMENTS
This one na medicine after death na.
This should have been done before the games began, to ensure that our athletes are dope free. Then we would not have had to worry about being categorized among the high risk doping countries. DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME prevents waste of time and resources, and we also avoid the embarrassment that comes with incompetence.
A belated step in the right direction.
Nigerians, nay African, are very reactive in nature. We only act when we are pushed to act. We cant see beyond our noses neither can we think ahead of the present. Where was the part of their brain that knew the federation was supposed of have a medical and doping committee before…? We had to wait till we have been serially disgraced before doing the right thing. Shior.