Athletics
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is 80 years today –
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN clocks 80 years today having been founded on 11 March 1944 as Amateur Athletics Association of Nigeria (AAAN).
Like the older sports body, the NFF which wrongly assumed its foundation date as 1945, the AFN has always had its anniversary passed unmarked or celebrated, even when such were milestones.
What could unintentionally mark the AFN anniversary will be a good outing by Nigerian athletes as the track and field events of the 13 African Games begin on Monday next week.
The athletics body was founded in Lagos at an historic meeting attended by five Nigerians and 10 British expatriates.
The Nigerians were T. E Achibong, James Harding Ekperigin, Luke Emejulu, S. O. Jolaoso and S.M Oduba.
The expatriates were F. K. Butler, P. W. Price, A. H Clift, N. S Clouston, L. J Lewis and T. B. Welch.
The others were E. A. Miller, G. Wilson, R. G. Henderson and Capt. Donald Henry Holley. The latter became the chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association and led Nigeria’s first national football team on a tour of the United Kingdom in 1949.
At the inaugural meeting of the athletics body, Capt Holley was appointed as the founding chairman and went by the title -President.
The honorary secretary was V.B.V Powell who was assisted by a Nigerian, S. Oyebola Jolaoso.
They organised the first All Nigeria Open Athletics Championship in Ibadan in 1947. That same year, the then AAAN had a 48-page Official Handbook.
They also had the first inter colonial championship of Nigeria and Gold Coast (now Ghana) in Lagos in 1947. Another athletics championship was also held at the Police Ground at Obalende in Lagos.
The annual general meetings were held at an office located inside the Island Club premises at 3, King George V Road in Onikan.
The athletics body’s first venture abroad was the sending of an observer team to the London 1948 Olympics. Subsequently, Nigerian athletes have been featuring in the Olympics since Helsinki 1952.
The sports body has gone through change of names.
Presidents/Chairmen
- Mr. D. H. Holley, M. C. 1944 – 45
- Mr. A. Miller 1946 – 48
- Mr. A. C. Hands (CBE) 1949 – 50
- Mr. J. R. Bunting 1951 – 52
- Mr. S. O. Williams 1953 – 54
- Mr. P. H. Cook 1954 – 55
- Mr. J. R. Bunting 1955 – 56
- Late. Pa. S. O. Jolaoso (MBE) 1957 – 60
- Mr. T. A. K. Oki 1960 – 61
- Mr. S. O. Williams 1961 – 62
- Mr. A. A. Ordia (MBE) 1962 – 63
- Mr. Peter C. Chigbuo 1963 – 68
- Mr. S. O. Williams (OON) 1969 – 79
- Mr. M.A. Arogundade 1980 – 82
- Mr. Peter C. Chigbuo 1982 – 83
- Dr. George Ogan 1983 – 84
- Wing Comdr. C. A. Dangaji 1985 – 87
- Alhaji A.K.O. Amu (OFR) 1987 – 93
- Mr. S. E. Akraka 1993 – 95
- Alhaji A.K. O. Amu (OFR) 1995 – 97
- Mr. Tony Urhobo 1997 – 98
- Mr. Adeyemi Wilson 1998 – 2001
- Mr. Dan Ngerem 2001 – 2005
- Chief (Mrs.) Violet Odogwu-Nwajei (MON) 2005 – 2009
- Chief Solomon Ogba 2009 – 2017
- Engr Ibrahim Shehu Gusau 2017 – 2021
- Tonobok Ojuru Okowa 2021 – date
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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