The country Nigeria was thrown into shock in the early hours of Wednesday morning when the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) made an allegation against Nigerian athlete Tobi Amusan, claiming that she has evaded the mandatory doping test on three occasions within the past year.
The shocking news has raised concerns within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) regarding Amusan’s actions and the AFN has responded to these claims by the AIU.
Samuel Onikeku, the AFN’s technical director, expressed his disappointment with the situation during a recent interview on Brila FM. He acknowledged Amusan’s prominent status in Nigerian athletics and the pride the nation feels for her accomplishments.
“This is not the news we are happy about. Tobi Amusan is like the face of Nigeria’s athletics. She is the one we are proud of for her achievements,” Onikeku stated.
He further highlighted the significance of Amusan’s accomplishments, particularly her world championship gold medal and world record in Oregon last year. The AFN viewed these achievements as unifying factors for the country, bringing a sense of pride and joy to Nigerian athletics.
However, the recent allegation by the AIU regarding Amusan’s alleged evasion of mandatory doping tests has raised concerns but the 26-year-old Commonwealth Games Champion has vowed to challenge these claims.