Athletes from Nigeria Face Rigorous Antidoping Verifications at the World Championships in Tokyo
The Nigerian team is making a strong showing at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The team, composed of world champion hurdler Tobi Amusan, Olympic medalist Ese Brume, 400m hurdler Ezekiel Nathaniel, shot put specialist Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, and sprinters Udodi Onwuzurikie, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Israel Okon, and Rosemary Chukwuma, is competing across 11 different events.
In a notable achievement, Ezekiel Nathaniel made history as the first Nigerian in the 400m hurdles World Final since 1987. He also smashed the Nigerian 400m hurdles record at the championships. Tobi Amusan, on the other hand, won a silver medal and $55,000 at the event.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has implemented stringent measures to ensure the integrity of the sport. Athletes from Category A countries, including Nigeria, are subject to the toughest testing standards. All samples are being handled by a WADA-accredited laboratory in Tokyo and will be stored for 10 years. For the first time, the testing process will examine all three blood modules of the Athlete Biological Passport: endocrine, haematological, and steroidal.
The AIU has also introduced the AIU Call Room, a hotline where athletes can discuss integrity concerns in their own languages. The federations have been praised for their commitment to protecting the integrity of the sport.
However, Nigeria's troubling history with doping violations continues. Nine athletes, including Blessing Okagbare, who is barred until 2031, and Divine Oduduru, suspended until 2029, are currently serving bans. Shot put veterans Vivian Chukwuemeka and Henry Azike are serving lifetime bans for repeat violations. Ada Princess Bright and Grace Nwokocha have recently completed their bans.
Besides Nigeria, the other nations listed in Category A of the anti-doping regime at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo include Bahrain, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ukraine. Over 650 tests had already been conducted at team hotels before the start of the championships, with another 550 tests ongoing at the Japan National Stadium.
David Howman, the chair of the AIU, is overseeing these measures to maintain fairness and transparency in the sport. The World Athletics Championships are expected to conclude soon, with the Nigerian team continuing to make the country proud.
