Olympics: Dare orders full investigation into athletes’ disqualification

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has vowed to unravel the circumstances that led to the disqualification of 10 athletes from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

It will be recalled that the athletes were disqualified from the Tokyo Games by the Athletics Integrity Unit after they failed to undergo the three mandatory out-of-competition tests.

Dare, in a statement he signed, said the ministry did everything possible to ensure the disqualified athletes achieved their dreams of being Olympians.

“First, is the mishap resulting in 10 Team Nigeria athletes ruled ineligible to compete for missing their mandatory outof-competition tests. When notice of this ruling got to me, I immediately mobilised my team and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria leadership to see how the situation could be salvaged.

“We mounted a vigorous appeal process with the Athletics

Integrity Unit and had the team members complete the tests. However, timing became the critical issue. Despite our energetic appeal, the deciding committee made its announcement, which gave no latitude to our team members for what was only an inadvertent lapse.

“As the minister, I must bear some institutional responsibility for this lapse. I also had to depend and expect that each person in the long and often technical chain will perform their role expeditiously and with precision.

“Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, someone failed in their responsibility and as minister, I bear the responsibility and brunt of the criticism. But that is not enough. I must move to ensure that Nigeria never experiences another such moment.”

He added, “I have ordered a full investigation that will not only uncover what happened but will also, recommend a process where such lapses can never occur in the future and initiate leveraging compliance monitoring technology to guardrail this.