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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has warned that Nigerian athletes may be disqualified from competing at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, if the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) of Nigeria does not follow the world anti-doping code.
At its recent executive committee meeting in Montreal, Canada, WADA accused Nigeria’s NADO, as well as those of two other countries, Venezuela and Tunisia, of failing to comply with the code.
A statement posted on on its website, read: “The Nigeria NADO’s representatives will be ineligible to participate in any WADA Independent Observer Program or WADA Outreach Program or other WADA activities.
“The Nigeria NADO will not receive any WADA funding (either directly or indirectly) relating to the development of specific activities or participation in specific programs.
“Nigeria’s flag will not be flown at regional, continental and World Championships, and events, organised by major event organisations (other than the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games), until the reinstatement conditions set out below are met.”
If the punishment is implemented, Nigerian athletes who qualify for the upcoming Olympics will not be able to represent the country.
The country has been given a December 8 deadline to comply or face the consequences.
Nigeria would not be the only country that will face such a ban if implemented from the Olympics for doping or other reasons.
Recall that Russia was banned from participating in the Olympics, World Championships and Paralympics for four years (2019-2023) by WADA for supporting doping among athletes.
Russian athletes who were cleared of doping could only compete under a neutral flag and without their national anthem.