Coach Muri, also known as Coach Muritala, has recently been embroiled in a controversy surrounding anti-doping rules violations. He has been banned for a period of 10 years for allegedly doping a junior athlete during the National Youth Games held in Ilorin, Kwara State in 2021.
Despite this ban, it has come to light that Coach Muri has been actively involved in coaching athletes at athletics competitions, with the knowledge of the Kwara State Athletics Association. Such actions are considered a violation of Rule 2.9 of World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, according to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
The AFN has announced that the suspension will remain in place pending further investigation. However, some board members of the AFN have criticized the 1st Vice President, Tafida Gadzama, for claiming that he was unaware of Coach Muritala’s suspension.
These board members have accused Gadzama of prioritizing financial matters within the AFN and neglecting the welfare of Nigerian athletics. They argue that Gadzama should resign from his position on the board if he no longer has the best interests of Nigerian athletics at heart.
Furthermore, the board member reveals that Gadzama had allegedly seen the suspended coach at the National Sports Festival in Asaba but failed to raise any concerns or report the situation to the anti-doping committee or the AFN president.
This raises questions about Gadzama’s association with a banned coach, which is contrary to World Athletics rules. The board member asserts that Gadzama should step down before facing potential consequences from World Athletics.
The board member further accuses Gadzama and two other officials of working against the AFN board for the past two months due to their unsuccessful attempts at manipulating sponsorship funds. They claim that these officials are more interested in financial gains rather than the well-being of athletes and coaches at competitions.
As the World Athletics Championship approaches, other countries are actively preparing their athletes, but the board member alleges that Gadzama has shown no interest in supporting Nigeria’s athletes. They claim this has been Gadzama’s attitude since he became a board member, highlighting a lack of focus on athlete preparation. The board member concludes by stating that Gadzama will not have the opportunity to pursue such actions this time.
The situation involving Coach Muri’s doping violation and Gadzama’s alleged lack of action has raised concerns about the integrity of Nigerian athletics. It remains to be seen how the AFN’s further investigation will unfold and what consequences may be faced by those involved.
