The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has restated its resolve to join forces 

with relevant stakeholders to stamp out the use of dope by the country’s athletes.

This was the federation’s stance in the wake of media reports yesterday of the banning of budding quarter miler, Imaobong Nse Uko, for two years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for missing three whereabouts tests within 12-calendar year.

Uko is one of the 19 banned athletes included in AIU’s updated list for the month of June released on Tuesday. The list is dominated by Kenyans and Indian athletes with the East Africans leading with seven cases.

Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento has the highest years of suspension from the track. The South American was banned for five years.

Speaking on the development, President of the AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa, insisted that the federation under his watch will not tolerate any athlete taking substances to enhance his or her performance on the track and field.

“There is no room for cheats and athletes who are not willing to follow the rules in the Federation,” began Okowa who recently secured another term of four years as AFN President.

He recalled that before the last Olympic Games in Paris, “AFN funded 60 per cent of the drug tests carried out on our athletes. This goes to show how serious on dope matters in this Federation,” Okowa stressed yesterday.

The AFN president insisted further that the advocacy for zero-tolerance for dope in track and field will continue at all competitions organised by the federation.

“At all major competitions on the home front we carry out our drug advocacy campaign to the athletes, coaches and technical officials involved in the business. The last of such seminars took place during the just concluded National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged Gateway Games 2024 in Abeokuta, Ogun State,” Okowa recalled.

While regretting the ban slammed on Imaobong Uko, the AFN President the federation will continue to communicate anti-doping rules to athletes through its Dope Department headed by Professor Ken Anugweje.

Imaobong Uko is the 10th Nigerian athlete serving AIU ban for dope infraction.

Former shot put record holder, Vivian Chukwuemeka and Henry Azike top the list with life bans followed by Blessing Okagbare who is serving 10 years suspension. Glory Okon, Stephen Eloji, Ada Princes Bright and Yinka Ajaiyi are all serving four years each for similar dope infractions.

In the list of 19 athletes banned in the updated June list, apart from Kenya with seven athletes, India followed next with six athletes while France had two with Turkey and New Zealand one each.