The Minister of Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalong, revealed thenames of eight Nigerian athletes who have tested positive to banned drugs on Thursday in Abuja.

The athletes affected include are Deborah Odeyemi, Chinazom Amadi, Samson Idiata (Athletics) Sunday Ezeh (Para-athletics), Thomas Kure (Para-powerlifting) Patience Opuene (Wrestling) and James Igbadiwei.

They were reported to have tested positive to the drugs at the 2015 All Africa Games held in Congo and thus have been banned for four years each. The eighth athlete, a weightlifter, Elizabeth Owuah, was banned for eight years.

According to the Punch, Dalong spoke with journalists at the National Stadium, Abuja after a meeting with the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Olympics Committee saying, “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.”

it has been reported that team Nigeria is at risk of losing  their second-place finish at the 2015 All Africa Games (AAG) as their medals might be recalled.

Source: Punch Newspaper

Photo credit: Bongolife.com (athletes pictured are different from athletes reported)

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