Six athletes have been disqualified from participating in the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF), named Gateway Games, by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The NSC Director General (DG), Bukola Olopade, made this known on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
He disclosed that the athletes were disqualified for anti-doping issues, adding that registered athletes with anti-doping issues cannot compete for scoring medals at the ongoing Gateway Games.
The decision is coming after a strategic joint meeting of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Games.
The athletes affected are Marcus Okon, representing Akwa Ibom state in Para Athletics, Ayabeke Opeyemi, representing Bayelsa state in Gymnastics, Shukurat Kareem, representing Lagos state in kick-boxing and Omole Dolapo Joshua, representing Bayelsa state in kick-boxing.
Others are Ogunsemilore Cynthia, representing Bayelsa state in kick-boxing and Animashaun Sofi, representing Lagos state in Para powerlifting.
The Commission announced that this is in line with global best practices and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
Olopade charged all the participating states to take note of this and reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every athlete competes clean.
“The issue of anti-doping is one important mandate of the Commission to ensure that Nigeria is devoid of drug problems at both domestic and international competitions.”
