Developing zero tolerance for doping in Nigerian Athletics

’s not the best of times for Nigerian Athletics! One of the country’s most talented athletes and No.1 in the women’s 400m Hurdles for the past two years, Glory Nathaniel, was a few weeks ago, provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to the presence of a prohibited substance, Stanozolol, in her system.

A Provisional Suspension is when an athlete is suspended temporarily from participating in any competition or activity in Athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct. The AIU was founded by the IAAF last year to combat doping in the sport, and the unit functions fully independently from the IAAF.

Nathaniel won Gold for Nigeria at the 2018 African Championships in Asaba, finishing ahead of Morocco’s Lamiae Lhabze and defending champion, South Africa’s Wenda Nel. The details surrounding her positive test are not yet clear, as the date of control was not revealed by the AIU. However, if it happened before or during the African Championships, there is a huge possibility of being stripped of the Gold medal.

Going forward, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) must demonstrate that they have zero tolerance for doping, and take proactive steps in ensuring that our athletes compete fairly at all times. They must also do more in terms of sensitizing the athletes about the threat doping poses to their careers. If the new rules being proposed are anything to go by, it means that the action of an individual can pose a great risk to the nation as a whole, and that is why the AFN must be up and doing. 

And to the athletes, I would re-echo the AIU’s warning: “As an athlete you are solely responsible for whatever is in your body at all times. Our advice is simple: IF IN DOUBT, DON’T TAKE IT.”