Izuchukwu OkosiNigerian athletes may also be stopped from World Athletics Championship outings in 2024
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has set 8th December 2023 date for the Nigeria National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code or face the dire prospect of having Nigeria’s bright talents miss a place at the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris.
The Nigerian contingent also stands the chance of mising out from other major Athletics competitions in the calendar year for not playing by the rules of the agency.
Tunisia and Venezuela are the other countries charged with the same of fence and in danger of not participating at the Games.
“The Nigeria NADO’s representatives will be ineligible to participate in any WADA Independent Observer Program or WADA Outreach Program or other WADA activities,” a statement from WADA revealed.
“The Nigeria NADO’s representatives will be ineligible to participate in any WADA Independent Observer Program or WADA Outreach Program or other WADA activities.
“The Nigeria NADO will not receive any WADA funding (either directly or indirectly) relating to the development of specific activities or participation in specific programs.
“The Nigeria NADO’s representatives will be ineligible to sit as members of the boards or committees or other bodies of any Signatory (or its members) or association of signatories until the reinstatement conditions set out below are met, ” the statement (see ISCCS Article B.3.1 (d)).
“Nigeria will not be awarded the right to host regional, continental and World Championships, and Events organized by major event Organisations, until the reinstatement conditions set out below are met (see ISCCS Article B.3.1 (e.1));
Aside the threat of Nigeria not having her best athletes at the Olympics, it also denies emerging young talents discovered at the various cadres of youth tournaments the opportunity to impress at the big stage.
“Nigeria’s flag will not be flown at regional, continental and World Championships, and events, organised by major event organisations (other than the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games), until the reinstatement conditions set out below are met,” the WADA statement concluded.
Nigeria will already be without the duo of Blessing Okagbare and and Divine Oduduru (banned) and could be without Tobi Amusan if the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) upholds the ban they plan to place on her for missing drug tests.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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