The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has warned that Nigerian athletes could face disqualification from the much-anticipated 2024 Olympics in Paris unless urgent action is taken by the Nigerian Anti-Doping Committee (NADC).
WADA's recent executive committee meeting in Montreal, Canada, targeted Nigeria's NADO (National Anti-Doping Organization), along with those of Venezuela and Tunisia, accusing them of non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. The statement on WADA's website highlighted the failure of the Nigerian NADO to address critical requirements identified during an audit conducted in late 2022 (October 19-20, 2022).
According to WADA, the potential repercussions for Nigeria are severe. The Nigerian NADO faces ineligibility to host any event associated with WADA, and its representatives would be barred from participating in WADA Independent Observer and Outreach Programs, among other activities. Furthermore, the Nigeria NADO would lose all WADA funding related to specific activities or programs.
A particularly impactful consequence would be the absence of Nigeria's flag at regional, continental, and World Championships, excluding the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, until specific reinstatement conditions are met.
The looming ban could thwart the dreams of Nigerian athletes eyeing participation in the Paris Olympics. WADA has set a deadline of December 8 for Nigeria to rectify its non-compliance or face the severe consequences outlined.
This potential ban places Nigeria in a category with other nations that have faced Olympic bans, most notably Russia, which endured a four-year ban (2019-2023) for its involvement in supporting doping among athletes. Russian athletes who were cleared of doping were permitted to compete under a neutral flag, devoid of their national anthem—a fate that could befall Nigerian athletes unless corrective measures are swiftly implemented.
As the clock ticks down to the December 8 deadline, the Nigerian sports community is left grappling with the urgent need for compliance to salvage the nation's representation at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
