A cyclist from Lagos State, Obafemi Smith has been stripped off a gold medal at he 19th National Sports Festival, because his contingent’s officials did not formally register him for the event.
Sports247.ng gathered that the race director, Bashir Mohammed said the step had to be taken, after the Local Organising Committee found out that Lagos State cycling officials failed to register Smith.
He ws subsequently stripped of first place finish in the 1000m Individual Pursuit for men., thereby losing the gold medal as well.
With his disqualification, Bayelsa State’s cyclist was upgraded to gold while Rivers moved up to silver and Plateau from fourth to bronze.
Former Lagos State cycling coach, Joseph Izibili expressed dismay and disappointment with the development, which he said was a result of carelessness.
After six days of competition in cycling, Rivers State were with eight gold medals while Bayelsa had garnered three gold and Delta one.
On Thursday, Bayelsa and Rivers states won the gold medals in the men’s and women’s Individual Team Trials .
Rosemary Marcus of Rivers took gold in the Female Individual Team Trial with 12 mins 37.4secs while the silver and bronze went to Caroline Dung of Plateau state and Yekeen Tawakalt of Oyo state respectively.
The Male Individual Time Trials gold medal went to Bayelsa state’s Kurotimi Abaka, Innocent Emmanuel of Rivers state took the silver while Ajibade Quadri of Oyo state got the bronze.
