Gumel Urges Team Nigeria Athletes to Stay Away from Dope

Gumel Urges Team Nigeria Athletes to Stay Away from Dope

The Medical & Scientific Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) under the auspices of the Olympic Solidarity began their three-day sports medicine seminar themed, “Building Blocks of Protection of Clean Athletes Health – Strategy to Actualize the Mandate of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)”, yesterday at the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The programme is tailored to highlight best practices obtainable in sports globally, in accordance with the IOC Medical Commission Guidelines and Medical Resources on the Protection of the Health and Integrity of Clean Athletes.

President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Ahmed Gumel, while addressing over 150 coaches, athletes and sports medicine officials who attended the first session of the workshop, enjoined the participants to take advantage of the learning opportunity in order to further update their knowledge.

“The continous support of the Olympic Solidarity has brought positive changes to the nation’s Sports Medicines Administration System.”

He therefore charged the sports administrators to gear up to a better adaptation of the Olympic Solidarity objectives.

The Chairman, Medical and Scientific Commission of the NOC, Dr Festus Odunayo Oshoba, said the seminar became imperative as the International Olympic Committee wants to ensure that athletes, coaches, sports physicians and administrators are well informed of the emerging global trends in sports medicine management and administration, hence the reason for the three- day workshop.

Oshoba said they need to be aware of the necessary measures the IOC had put in place in ensuring that athletes win a particular event without cheating or using drugs to enhance their performances, adding that participating in Olympic Games or other sporting activities was not a do- or die affairs but it’s mandatory for the NOC to organise the workshop in order to further advise athletes not to feature in competitions with a mindset of winning at all cost.

The seminar, which had in attendance Dr Akin Amao, Professor Tunde Makanju, NOC Secretary General, Mr Banji Oladapo among others, will come to a close on Saturday, November 21st, 2020.

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