Athletics
LAGOS CITY MARATHON ORGANISERS DREAM GOLD LABEL
The General Manager Lagos City Marathon, Yussuf Alli, is optimistic, that the race will become an IAAF Gold Labelled race before its fifth edition.
Last week, Lagos City Marathon, which had its maiden edition, last year, joined the global elite family as the IAAF granted the race a bronze label status after just two editions.
‘’This is a worthy feat and I must confess that it would not have possible without the vision and support of our Chairman, His Excellency, Akinwunmi Ambode, the Executive Governor of Lagos State.’’.
Alli revealed that Governor Ambode gave the Organizing Committee all the assistance they required to succeed.
“We need to commend his vision to organize the marathon in the first place.
“Past administrations were not receptive to the idea, and within two years, the Lagos City Marathon has not only become Africa’s foremost one day event, it joined the league of the best marathons in the world like New York, London Berlin, Tokyo and others by being awarded an IAAF Label”.
Alli, who played a prominent role in the Okpekpe 10 km Road Race becoming an IAAF Bronze and Silver Labelled Race, said his aim, with the backing of Governor Ambode, is to get an IAAF Gold Label for the Lagos City Marathon before its fifth anniversary.
“As of today, there only four label races in Africa; Cape Town Marathon, Marathon du Gabon Okpekpe Road Race, and Lagos City Marathon.
Of the four, only Cape Town Marathon that is currently in its tenth edition has a Gold Label and today, we have more runners than all other marathons in Africa.
We had over fifty thousand in the first edition and over seventy thousand in the second edition. Our target in 2018 is over a hundred thousand runners, our elite field can compete with the global leaders in America and Europe, while our prize money is one the best in the world.’’
Alli said the Lagos City Marathon target for 2018 is the IAAF Silver Label which we believe is achievable, “ to get the Gold Label, all we need do is increase our elite field, build a world class media station at finish, complete closure of route to vehicular movement and others. I know with the support of our amiable Chairman Governor Ambode, we will achieve the Gold Label by our fifth edition”, said Alli.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and WADA.
The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.
Here is the full statement of CAS.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by
World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).
Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.
The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month
period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.
The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.
Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.
She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.
The athlete was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.
The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.
CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”
Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.
She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.
World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.
An elated Nigeria’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan has thanked God for her success in an appeal filled against her by the Athletics Integrity Unit of the World Athletics.
Had the appeal been upheld, ,Amusan would have has to miss the Paris 2024 Olymoics.
“It’s ALL GOD” Amusan said in an Instagram post alongside the court’s announcement.
Amusan, who broke the world record during her semi-final race at the 2022 world championships, is a hot favourite in her signature event at the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.
World Athletics and WADA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
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