Organisers of the fifth Okpekpe international 10km road race say there will be full doping control during the race scheduled to hold in a forthnight at Okpekpe, Edo state.
Spokesman for the race Dare Esan reveals that provision has been made for a full doping control for the event which the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has classified as the only international competition/road race in Nigeria in 2017.
‘All tests shall be conducted in accordance with the IAAF anti-doping regulations.There will be mandatory and requested tests.The mandatory tests are those that the organisers must conduct at its expense and includes the minimum four that must be done as a bronze label event viz two men and two women as a mixed gender race and of course those that must be conducted in the event a world record or area record is broken ,’said Esan who assured of the organisers’ preparedness to ensure a clean competition come Saturday May 13.
‘The testing kits needed for effective anti-doping in accordance with IAAF anti-doping rules have arrived.We have a doping station built in Okpekpe for the race.This is where the sample collection session will be conducted by doping control officers who have been trained and authorized by the Nigeria anti-doping agency with delegated responsibility for the on-site management of sample collection session.We also have Dr Akin Amao,one of Nigeria’s foremost sports medicine practitioners as the chief anti-doping officer for the race.” ‘We are ready for the race and those who qualified to be called elite athletes based on the times they have returned in the last 24 months are the ones open to testing.Those running for fun or charity are excluded.We have also advised athletes with illnesses or conditions that require the use of medication listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List to apply for Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) with the relevant agency before coming for the race,’said Esan.
The Okpekpe international 10km road race is the only road race in
Nigeria that is recognised by both the IAAF and Association of International Marathons and
Distance Races (AIMS) because its race course has been measured by an accredited measurer using the approved calibrated method.
The race is organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing,leaders in sports marketing and hospitality business in Nigeria.
This year’s race which will hold in Okpekpe,a town in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. It is located about 25 kilometres northeast of Auchi.
