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The affected athletes whose names were
released in Abuja on Thursday are Deborah Odeyemi, Chinazom Amadi,
Samson Idiata (Athletics) Sunday Ezeh (Para-athletics), Thomas Kure
(Para-powerlifting) Patience Opuene (Wrestling) and James Igbadiwei.
The athletes were reported to have
tested positive and have thus been banned. The athletes were said to
have tested positive at the 2015 All Africa Games held in Congo. They
have been placed on a four-year ban each. The eighth athlete, a
weightlifter, Elizabeth Owuah, was banned for eight years.
The Minister of Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung, revealed this on Thursday.
Dalung, who spoke with journalists at
the National Stadium, Abuja after a meeting with the Executive Committee
of the Nigeria Olympics Committee, said, “Concerning the news that is
in public domain that some of our athletes tested positive, it is true.
About five medallists have been indicted and tested positive and that
takes us to why we are meeting here because we want to intensify
advocacy on the issue of anti-doping.
“It is very important to do more
advocacy on doping in sports so that when we get to Rio we will not have
these instances again.”
-Punch