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Sport

Nigeria’s anti-doping compliance status will soon be reviewed, Dalung assures

Compliance
By Max-Iyaye Samuel/Kayode Adebiyi
Abuja, Feb. 4, 2019 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, on Monday assured that Nigeria was working hard to ensure that its non-compliance status at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was reversed.

Dalung who gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of a two-day anti-doping stakeholders meeting in Abuja said this was because much progress has been made in a positive way.

“Prior to the receipt of the notice from WADA which designated Nigeria as non-compliant, we were working to ensure compliance, but our pace was a bit slow.

“One of the key areas of concern identified by WADA is the passage into law, the setting up of an independent national anti-doping organisation.

“They also wanted to be provided the opportunity to review such bill to ensure conformity.

“I can assure now that we have since made progress and this much has been acknowledged by WADA and I am optimistic that, very soon, Nigeria’s status will be reviewed,” Dalung said.

The minister however identified lack of continuity and funding as two major challenges facing the institutionalisation of anti-doping measures in Nigeria.

“We have secured budget line item for anti-doping activities in the 2019 budget. We have also secured approval from Mr President (Muhammadu Buhari) for the funding of the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC).

“The process of releasing funds is ongoing at the Federal Ministry of Finance. As soon as that is done, further activities required for WADA compliance will commence,” he said.

On tackling the issue of lack of continuity in the administration of anti-doping policy, Dalung said he had discussed with stakeholders and sought special approval to source manpower for the NADC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill for the establishment and funding of a national anti-doping agency is one of the demands stipulated by WADA.

It has now passed the second reading at the House of Representatives.

The Chairman, House Committee on Youths and Sports, Goni Bukar, confirmed the status of the legislation in his goodwill message at the event.

Bukar added that it would have been passed if not for the fact that it was being overtaken on the queue by other crucial issues of national interest.

“We are at the verge of passing into law a bill for the establishment of a National Anti-Doping Agency. The bill has gone through second reading and a public hearing.

“But for the issues of the National Minimum Wage and the 2019 Budget, we would have passed it,” he said.

The lawmaker however assured that as soon as the House reconvened, the bill would be given speedy treatment and sent to the Senate for harmonisation.

NAN reports that WADA had on Nov. 14 declared Nigeria’s national anti-doping agency non-compliant, claiming that the country did not meet international anti-doping standards.

This was in spite of the inauguration of the NADC members by Dalung on Sept. 6, where he charged them to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with anti-doping policies.

Olusade Adesola, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, said at the event that the setback was regrettable.

“It is regrettable that Nigeria was declared non-complaint in spite of all efforts to ensure otherwise. But the declaration has challenged us to step up our efforts.

“There is an evidence of Nigeria’s concrete resolution to join the world in fighting doping in sports,” Adesola said.

The two-day stakeholders’ meeting is carried out in collaboration with the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports (SAIDS).

NAN reports that the meeting was aimed at developing the capacity of anti-doping officials.

It will also involve the signing of a tripartite agreement involving Nigeria, SAIDS and WADA as part of efforts to comply with world anti-doping regulations.

In his remarks, Rodney Swigelaar, the Director, WADA Office Africa, said Nigeria was one of the key actors when the body was set up.

“Nigeria therefore retains a strong relationship with the organisation.’’

He said since Nigeria’s non-compliance status was transmitted in November 2018, significant progress had been made, assuring that WADA would assist Nigeria to attain compliance.

“Of course, the fact that we are here today is indicative of the progress made. I know that Nigeria is passionate about anti-doping.

“I agree that it is unfortunate for Nigeria to be ranked non-complaint. We hope that this will be rectified soon.

“We will assist Nigeria as much as possible and we are willing to listen to stakeholders concerning challenges faced by Nigeria in this regard,” Swigelaar said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAIDS, Khalid Galant, said at the event that his organisation had the support of the South African government to work with the NADC.

“We have a few challenges, but we are encouraged by the enthusiasm of the Nigerian government and participants at this event.

“We hope that this will be a step towards changing Nigeria’s status in WADA,” he said.

The meeting will end on Tuesday with NADC and SAIDS signing an agreement to collaborate, while WADA will provide oversight in the implementation of the agreement. (NAN)
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(Edited by Chioma Ugboma and Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

London 2012 high jump champion Ukhov among 12 Russians banned

Ban

London, Feb. 1, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) London 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov is among 12 Russian track and field athletes to be handed doping bans by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

CAS was acting for the IAAF in the absence of the banned Russian Athletics Federation (RUSAF).

Ukhov and Svetlana Shkolina, who won high jump bronze in 2012 and gold at the 2013 world championships, were given four-year bans on Friday.

Their bans starts from Feb. 1 2019 and aee retrospectively disqualified, meaning they will be stripped of their medals.

American Erik Kynard is expected to be promoted to gold in the 2012 Olympic men’s event while compatriot Brigetta Barrett, who took silver in London, is in line to be promoted to world champion after finishing second in Moscow.

Double world champion and former world record holder hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko was given an eight-year ban for a second offence, as was fellow hammer thrower Gulfiya Agafonova.

CAS said the 12 athletes “participated in and/or benefited from anabolic steroid doping programs and benefited from specific protective methods”.

The athletes can appeal their cases to a separate division of CAS, and Russian officials said they were awaiting CAS’s full decisions in the cases before deciding on any action.

“So far, the decision has been made by the first instance authority which, as far as I know, made it on the basis of (Russian whistle blower Grigory) Rodchenkov’s testimony.

“Now we need to wait for the substantive part (of the court’s decision), after which we will think what to do,” Russian athletics chief Dmitry Shlyakhtin told TASS news agency.

The decisions were the first case of CAS issuing disciplinary procedures since it replaced the RUSAF in hearing cases after its suspension by the IAAF which remains in force.

The cases are based mainly on evidence gathered in an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report carried out by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
The AIU was set up in 2017 to act independently from the IAAF.

“Today’s CAS rulings confirm that the evidence underlying the McLaren Reports is reliable and is capable of establishing Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs),” AIU head Brett Clothier said in a statement.

He also said CAS’s decision established that the violations were committed as part of a centralised doping scheme.

“It needs to be noted that some of these cases were fought solely on the basis of the McLaren evidence, while others were combined with analytical evidence gathered through re-testing.

“It is very encouraging for us and gives us the possibility to pursue more cases in the future.”

WADA also praised the decisions.

“This should serve to reassure athletes that a lot of work is being conducted behind the scenes by various organizations that are committed to ensure that justice is rendered,” WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said in a statement.

“It reinforces the importance of ensuring that due process is followed and that evidence is carefully presented.

“This creates an important precedent that will be used in future cases.”

The bans are the latest in a long line handed down to Russians across a range of sports since widespread and organised doping was uncovered.

Russian authorities have denied that it was “state-sponsored” but have accepted that many senior officials were involved in providing the illegal products.

It also accepted the officials might have been interfering with anti-doping procedures and covering up positive tests.

WADA last month finally gained access to data held in a Moscow laboratory, the last condition for making Russia’s anti-doping agency compliant.

The access is expected to produce more retrospective positive tests.

“The data is crucial to build strong cases against cheats and exonerate other athletes suspected of having participated in widespread doping in Russia,” Clothier said.

The banned athletes are:

Tatyana Firova (400m) – four-year ban from June 9 2016.

Svetlana Shkolina (high jump) – four-year ban from Feb. 1 2019.

Ivan Ukhov (high jump) – four-year ban from Feb. 1 2019.

Lyukman Adams (triple jump) – four-year ban from Jan. 31 2019.

Anna Bulgakova (hammer throw) – four-year ban from March 29 2017.

Gulfiya Agafonova-Khanafeeva (hammer throw) – eight-year ban from Jan. 6 2017.

Tatyana Lysenko Beloborodva (hammer throw) – eight-year ban from July 2 2016.

Ivan Yushkov (shot put) – four-year ban from July 2 2016.

Mariya Bespalova (hammer throw) – already suspended since 26 October 2015.

Vera Ganeeva (discus) – two-year ban from July 2 2018.

Yekaterina Galitskaia (100m hurdles) – four-year ban from Feb. 1 2019.

Yuliya Kondakova (100m hurdles) – four-year ban from Feb. 1 2019. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

 

Sport

Russia, WADA reach understanding about lab data, Kremlin says

Data
Moscow, Jan. 9, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had reached an understanding on the hand-over of data from the former Moscow anti-doping laboratory.

Russia was due to hand over the data to WADA by the end of 2018 in order for RUSADA, its national anti-doping agency, to keep its accreditation.

A WADA delegation is currently in Moscow to retrieve the laboratory data, having returned empty-handed last month.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara and Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

WADA “bitterly disappointed” at Russia’s failure to meet deadline

Disappointment

Moscow, Jan. 1, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) The World Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday said that Russian authorities had failed to provide access to laboratory doping data by WADA’s year-end deadline.

It also said and that as a result it will consider sanctions against the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).

RUSADA was stripped of its accreditation in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of widespread state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics.

But it was conditionally – and controversially – reinstated in September.

Its failure to meet the deadline, however, raises the prospect of Russia being banned from a second consecutive Olympics and remaining shut out of international athletics.

“I am bitterly disappointed that data extraction from the former Moscow Laboratory has not been completed by the date agreed by WADA’s (Executive Committee) in September 2018,” said WADA President Craig Reedie.

“Since then, WADA has been working diligently with the Russian authorities to meet the deadline, which was clearly in the best interest of clean sport.

“The process agreed by WADA’s ExCo in September will now be initiated.”

The Compliance Review Committee (CRC) will meet in Jan. 14-15 to review the situation and make a recommendation to WADA’s Executive Committee on how to proceed.

If the CRC recommends declaring RUSADA non-compliant and the ExCo agrees with it, the Russian agency will have the right to challenge that assertion to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The court has the jurisdiction to hear the case and take the final decision.

WADA said it had written to Russia’s Minister of Sport, Pavel Kolobkov, and the Director General of RUSADA, Yury Ganus, to officially notify them of the situation.

“The situation is a total joke and an embarrassment for WADA and the global anti-doping system,” Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said on Tuesday.

“In September, WADA secretly moved the goal posts and reinstated Russia against the wishes of athletes, governments and the public,” he said.

“In doing this, WADA guaranteed Russia would turn over the evidence of its state-supported doping scheme by today.

“No one is surprised this deadline was ignored, and it’s time for WADA to stop being played by the Russians and immediately declare them non-compliant for failing yet again to meet the deadline.” (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/ABI

Sport

Nigeria risks being delisted by World Anti-Doping Agency, Dalung warns

Doping
By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Abuja, Nov. 19, 2018 (NAN) Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, on Monday in Abuja warned that Nigeria risked being delisted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) if urgent action was not taken.

Dalung, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, said Nigeria needed to immediately establish a National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

He said WADA had since given Nigeria a 21-day notice to that effect.

The minister said he had therefore sought the President’s assistance in getting the NADA Bill, which had been in the National Assembly for long, speedily passed into law.

“We are aware that Nigeria has been given a 21-day notice by WADA, that we will be delisted for non-compliance, and Nigerians will wonder why Nigeria is facing this risk for non-compliance.

“By the provisions of the WADA statutes, member-nations are expected to establish independent national anti-doping agencies or organisations.

“In Nigeria, the struggle for the passage of the NADA Bill has been in the National Assembly for a very long time. It has advanced to the concluding stages but, unfortunately, it has remained there.

“We have been pushing, and we have been visiting. We have been mounting pressure, and much has not been done.

“Smaller countries (in comparison with Nigeria) which subscribed to WADA after Nigeria have already established their own agencies.

“Even though we have not been found wanting in terms of testing and performances of our athletes, because we have been performing regular tests of athletes and we have not run risks during competitions, but it is important that we should be compliant in the area of establishing a NADA.’’

Dalung pointed out that NADA’s independence ensures responsibilities of not only tests but random tests — where athletes would be tested any time, whether in competition or out of competition.

He said the training, education, capacity, among others were also the responsibilities of the agency.

The minister said WADA had been writing to the ministry while it (the ministry) had also been replying, as it had hoped to get the legislation passed.

“But it is regretable that the Bill is yet to be passed. So, I drew the attention of the President to this and invited him to intervene because, after 21 days, Nigeria will be banned.

“And a ban from WADA will mean that sports completely in Nigeria will be grounded because none of the national federations will participate in any competition.

“We are all aware that the anti-doping issue has to do with the credibility of a participating country.

“Even this piece of news that has been released has sent some panic signals to most of our fans, partners and those we have been collaborating with.

“So, there is a need for Nigeria to move and have this legislation passed so that we can avoid this risk.’’

Dalung said he also briefed the President on the development, progress and some of the challenges the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development was facing.

He said this briefing was particular on the ministry’s preparations for the 19th National Sports Festival billed for next month in Abuja.

“The National Sports Festival comes up from Dec. 6 to Dec. 16 and it is coming after six years. Therefore, the preparations are in top gear.

“The torch of unity has been moving round the country, and it is in the South-West of the country currently.’’

Dalung said, however, that the ministry was having challenges with funding.

“This is because we initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a sponsor who was going to contribute one-third of the needed funds. But, unfortunately, the sponsor can not make it.

“I need the support of the President for further funding to augment the space created by that vacuum and the President has graciously given his approval to our request if we will submit in writing soon.

“Initially, N900 million was to be raised by government, and we were thinking of getting N400 million from our partner. But, with the failure, it means the Federal Government will now bankroll the N1.2 billion budget required for the festival,’’ he said.

The minister said he also briefed President Buhari on Nigeria’s qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and issues relating to late release of funds.

Dalung said the President also took note of the issues and assured that everything would be done to ensure that all the avoidable challenges were given prompt attention.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Doping Scandal: Russia making slow progress towards reinstatement, WADA says

Anti-doping
Lausanne (Switzerland), March 21, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Craig Reedie, the head of the world anti-doping agency (WADA), complained on Wednesday of slow progress by Russian authorities towards making the country’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA) compliant with international standards.

WADA president Reedie told a conference that he was “encouraged by the significant progress” made by RUSADA but added it was still taking too long.

“We want to welcome an independent and efficient RUSADA back in from the cold… it’s just a pity it is taking so long for Russian authorities to make it happen,” he said.

Reedie said the slow progress was “despite a significant amount of work being carried out by WADA to persuade the Russian authorities to recognise and accept as true the systemic doping scheme as revealed by the McLaren report”.

There was no immediate comment to Reedie’s remarks by Russia which has repeatedly denied systemic doping.

RUSADA was declared non-compliant in 2015 after a report commissioned by WADA found widespread doping in the country’s athletics.

Since then, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA have launched a string of investigations to look into the issue which ballooned into the biggest doping scandal in years.

The scandal is said to have engulfed many sports and has so far involved more than 1,000 athletes.

After escaping a blanket ban from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, Russia was barred from last month’s Winter Games at Pyeongchang in South Korea.

However, more than 100 of the country’s athletes were permitted to compete as neutrals.

“The big losers are Russia’s own athletes… Future participation of Russian athletes at major sporting events will continue to be put in doubt,” said Reedie.

“If WADA cannot declare that Russia has a compliant national anti-doping agency, then the rest of the world will not be convinced that any meaningful change has taken place.

“The suspicion and doubt will continue,” he stated.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Nasri handed 6-month doping ban

NAN-S-8
Ban
Zurich (Switzerland), Feb 27, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has been banned for six months for a doping offence, UEFA said on Tuesday.

The disciplinary board of European football’s ruling body found the Frenchman “guilty of using a prohibited method in accordance with the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) prohibited list”.

Nasri’s lawyer said the case was the result of a drip treatment the player took at a Los Angeles clinic after falling ill and vomiting while on holiday in 2016.

The former France international was playing for Sevilla on loan from Manchester City at the time.

UEFA gave details of the case last month when it said it turned down a request for Nasri in February last year to be retroactively granted a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).

Nasri took his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which dismissed the appeal in December, allowing UEFA to proceed with a disciplinary case against him.

The 30-year-old, who won the last of his 41 international caps in 2013, rejoined Manchester City at the end of his loan last July and was sold to Turkish club Antalyaspor in August.

He left by mutual agreement at the end of January and is now a free agent.

Nasri’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comments.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Olympic spirit dying, athletes looking to IOC for a change, U.S. athlete warns

 

Skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender poses for a portrait at the U.S. Olympic Committee Media Summit in Park City, Utah, U.S.  REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

 

NAN-S-4
Spirit
Pyeongchang (South Korea), Feb. 8, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) The Olympic spirit is in danger of being snuffed out by doping scandals, U.S. skeleton slider Katie Uhlaender warned on Thursday, urging the Olympic Movement to brace up to checking it.

The recent scandal has led to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banning dozens of Russian athletes for life.

Already, sport’s highest tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), has nullified the sanctions.

Both the IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have expressed disappointment with the CAS decision.

Uhlaender says the situation is a “catastrophe”, and all parties involved must grasp the opportunity for reform.

“Initially when the IOC took such a strong stance to ban Russia and strip the medals, it gave the athletes who were holding on to the spirit of sport, hope.

“It strengthened our Olympic spirit,” she said at a news conference on Thursday.

“When CAS took that away, it did the opposite. So, I think we’re all turning to the IOC for reform and to take a strong stance to give us that spirit back.

“We’re holding to an Olympic spirit that feels like it is dying.”

Two-time world champion Uhlaender had finished 0.04 seconds outside the medals at the 2014 Sochi Games, but the third-placed slider, Russia’s Elena Nikitina, was stripped of her bronze medal in November.

The Russian was banned for life after the IOC said she had committed anti-doping violations.

However, Nikitina was one of 28 Russians to have their bans overturned by CAS, leaving Uhlaender unsure if or when she would ever get her hands on the Sochi bronze.

The IOC invited 169 carefully-screened Russian athletes to compete as independent athletes after the country was banned from Pyeongchang over the Sochi 2014 doping scandal.

It then refused to invite any of the Russian athletes who had their bans overturned by CAS.

Dozens of Russians, including some who had not been named in the investigations or had any prior doping offences, but were still not invited, have since lodged appeals with CAS.

They are seeking to be admitted to the Games.

Nikitina is also in Pyeongchang awaiting news on her appeal.

Uhlaender warned that if the IOC, WADA and CAS failed to find a solution to the anti-doping system’s problems, it would open a “Pandora’s Box’’.

“I‘m looking to the IOC to take a harder stance and I think all the athletes are looking to the IOC to make sure that the athletes are tested —- not just increased in competition.

“Because we know when we’re going to compete,” said Uhlaender, who will be competing in her fourth Olympics.

“It’s the out-of-competition testing that’s most important. Why can’t we have the top 10 athletes in the world tested out of competition mandatory by an independent source?”(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara and Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Dalung promises drug-free sports in Nigeria, as ministry plans seminar for federation officials

NAN-S-1
Doping
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Nov. 30, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has promised to deliver a sports sector that is free of doping.

Tolu Makinde, the Director of Press in the ministry, said in a statement that the ministry would hold a seminar for Presidents and Secretaries of Sports Federations in Nigeria.

“This will be in collaboration with the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC),’’ he quoted the Minister as saying in the statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Dalung was quoted as saying the seminar was an integral part of the ministry’s efforts to evolve a sustainable and pragmatic anti-doping regime capable of achieving drug-free sports for Nigeria.

He said also that the seminar would raise the federations’ level of awareness and prepare them for meeting the challenges of anti-doping roles and responsibilities.

The minister said the seminar was to promote clean sports in Nigeria and ensure a sports sector that was free from drug scandals.

The statement showed that Dalung would be the Special Guest of Honour and he was expected to declare open the seminar tagged “Anti-Doping Seminar for Presidents and Secretaries of Sports Federations.”

“The event which is billed to hold in Abuja from Dec. 5 to Dec. 6 is aimed at equipping Federation Presidents and Secretaries with relevant information and  anti-doping regulations, especially compliance with relevant articles of the world regulatory body.

“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has prescribed primary goals and guidelines, and information and education programmes for drug-free sports.

“The seminar is the first anti-doping information-education and specialised orientation activity to be organised for Presidents and Secretaries of Federations.

“It has the objective of inculcating strong anti-doping culture in the participants.

“It will also promote the virtue of fair play with a view to positively help in influencing attitudes and behaviours of athletes,’’ the statement read.

It added that the seminar would cover areas like History of Doping, Health Consequences of Doping, Athletes Whereabouts and Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Other areas are: Anti-Doping Roles and Responsibilities, Doping Control Process and Testing, Anti-Doping Rules Violations and Results Management and Sources and Control Mechanisms on Illicit Drugs.(NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)