Collaboration
By Debo Oshundun
Lagos, April 12, 2018 (NAN) The Ministry of Youth and Sports has called for a collaboration with the Australian Anti-Doping Authority towards ensuring a formidable anti-doping structure in Nigeria.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalong, made the request during a visit to the Operation Centre of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in the Gold Coast.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Nneka Anibeze, the Special Assistant to the minister on media, said that Nigeria asked for the partnership between the two countries’ anti-doping agencies.
Dalong who led a five-man delegation to the centre, said that the collaboration would enable Nigeria to put in place a formidable anti- doping structure.
“We are grateful for your magnanimity in agreeing to collaborate with us by allowing us to visit this magnificent anti-doping Centre. We will appreciate collaboration with Australia and any other assistance from your country to ensure a dope-free society in Nigeria.
“We wish to emulate the organisational structure of the Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority, which will be used as a benchmark for the establishment of a legislatively backed anti-doping agency in Nigeria,’’ he said.
In his response, Darrel Jeffery, the Operations Centre Manager and Director Investigations, promised to look into Nigeria’s request, and gave a brief introduction of the operational and organisational structure and functions of the centre.
He said that the Anti-Doping Agency was upgraded to an Anti-Doping Authority as a result of the need to increase the independence, responsibilities and mandate of the organisation.
“We carry out doping control tests before, during and after the games, which also include intelligence report gathering and analyses.
“The centre also conducts education and outreach programmes, recruitment, training and development of doping control officers and chaperones,’’ he said.
Jeffery said that there were three major sports that are exposed to high risks of doping.
“Based on international standards for testing and investigation, there are three sports considered high risk for doping. They are Athletics, Weightlifting and cycling.
“Selection of athletes to be tested is based on intelligence reports, which include an athlete’s biological passport and partnerships with international Federations and other National anti-doping Organisations,’’ he said. (NAN)
DEB/ERO/PIO
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Idonije Obakhedo)