Tokyo Olympics: 20 Athletes Barred Over Anti-Doping Rule Violations, Including 14 Africans

In total, twenty athletes, including 14 Africans, must put away their dreams of participating in the Tokyo Olympics. The news of their disqualification came nearly 36 hours before the start of the athletics events in Tokyo 2021. According to the Integrity Unit (AIU), seven countries did not meet the required conditions for anti-doping controls. These are Morocco (1), Belarus (3), Ethiopia (1), Kenya (2), Ukraine (3) and especially Nigeria, which saw (10) of its athletes excluded from the Olympic Games.

According to the AIU, these athletes did not undergo the 3 unannounced out-of-competition anti-doping controls carried out in the last ten months, as required by World Athletics. These countries were also part of a list of countries under surveillance for doping. The athletes concerned are having a hard time accepting the decision and condemn the sports authorities of their countries.

African discus throw champion Chioma Onyekwere, the first concerned, addressed World Athletics and the AIU on Twitter, expressing all her bitterness: "The athletes are not at fault in this matter. Please, we need your help to find out how we can clear this so that all ten of us can compete."

As for Blessing Okagbare, who is not on the list of excluded athletes, she spoke out on the issue in a tweet condemning the leaders of her country. "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you don’t know sports, if you’re not passionate about it/us (the athletes), then you have no business being an administrator. The sports system in Nigeria is so flawed and we, the athletes, are always at the mercy of the damages."