Sports ministry to organise anti-doping seminar for Federation chiefs

In order to promote dope-free sports in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in collaboration with the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC) will between December 5 and 6 hold a seminar for presidents and secretaries of sports federations in the country.

The seminar, according to a press release made available to Tribunesport by the Director of Press in the ministry, Mr Tolu Makinde, on Wednesday, is aimed at raising awareness of key stakeholders and prepare them for meeting the  challenges of anti-doping roles and responsibilities.

The seminar, tagged, “Anti-Doping Seminar for Presidents and Secretaries of Sports Federations”, according to the release, to be held at the West Point Hotel, Wuse 7, Abuja, will be declared open by the Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung.

The release added that the seminar is aimed at equipping federation presidents and secretaries with relevant information and  anti-doping regulations, especially compliance with relevant Articles of the world regulatory body, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which prescribes primary goals and guidelines as well as information and education programmes for drug-free sports.

The seminar, which is the first anti-doping information-education and specialised orientation activity to be organised for the federation chiefs and scribes, also has the objective of inculcating strong anti-doping culture in the participants, promote value of fair play with a view to positively helping in influencing attitudes and behaviours of their athletes.

According to the release, the seminar is expected to cover areas such as  History of Doping, Heath Consequences of Doping, Athletes Whereabouts and Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), Anti-Doping Roles and Responsibilities, Doping Control Process and Testing, Anti-Doping Rules Violations and Results Management and Sources and Control Mechanisms on Illicit Drugs.

It further added that the seminar is an integral part of robust strategies being put in place by the ministry to evolve a sustainable pragmatic anti-doping regime capable of achieving drug-free sports for Nigeria.