2-7-2025
Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Tonobok Okowa said the federation was not sleeping with regards to the doping testing of the country’s track and field athletes.
Okowa who was speaking against the background of the recent ban slammed on Imaobong Nse Uko a promising 400m runner for missing her whereabouts said:“There is no room for cheats and athletes who are not willing to follow the rules in the Federation.
“You will recall that before the last Olympic Games in Paris, we funded sixty percent of the drug tests carried out, that is how serious we are in the Federation,” the AFN President Chief Tonobok Okowa said.
“At all major competitions on the home front we carry out our drug advocacy campaign to the athletes, coaches and technical officials involved in the business. The last of such seminars took place during the just concluded National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged Gateway Games 2024 in Abeokuta, Ogun State,” Okowa added.
Imaobong Nse Uko was among 17 other world athletes handed suspension by the Integrity Unit of World Athletics for doping violations. She will remain in the cooler for two years.
The AFN regretted Imaobong Nse Uko’s ban and will assist her recovery until she serves out her ban.
Chief Okowa advised athletes make themselves available for testing and also properly cross-check vitamins and their dietary supplements to avoid endangering their careers and lives.