The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, has warned that the Federal Government is determined to protect the integrity of Nigerian sports by enforcing strict measures on athletes’ real age verification and anti-doping compliance.

Dikko issued the warning in his remarks at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) in Abuja, stressing that age falsification and doping violations would no longer be tolerated under the ongoing sports reforms.

According to him, “Nigeria has cleared all outstanding anti-doping issues and is now globally recognised as a clean sporting nation, following the signing of the Anti-Doping Bill and the clearance granted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“Everything required to make Nigeria a clean country in sports has been done. We have resolved the issues that took us to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and today Nigeria is recognised globally as a clean country in terms of doping,” Dikko said.

Speaking further, the former vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) also disclosed that a fully operational Anti-Doping Agency would soon be in place, adding that funds had already been provided in the national budget for the construction of an anti-doping laboratory in the country.

On age integrity, the NSC chairman revealed that the commission had established an Integrity Unit to address age discrepancies across sports federations, warning that sanctions had been approved for anyone found guilty of breaching age regulations.

“Some of the age-related issues are cumulative and date back many years. While some discrepancies may be due to poor data entry, accuracy matters, and we will police federations, coaches and athletes to ensure compliance,” he said.

Earlier, the President of the NOC, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, described the AGM as a statutory obligation and a vital platform to review the activities of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Fund.

Gumel commended the close collaboration between the NOC and the NSC, saying it had contributed to improved performances by Nigerian athletes at international competitions.

He disclosed that about 54 national teams across various sports federations participated in international competitions in 2025, with only four returning without medals.

Corroborating this, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mr Bukola Olopade, argued that the medal haul recorded by Nigerian teams reflected improved planning, stronger partnerships with federations and a deliberate focus on podium performances rather than mere participation.

Olopade noted that most of the international outings were supported by the commission, while federations also made significant contributions to ensure athlete participation, describing the federations as key operational partners in the sports development process.

The NOC president also highlighted ongoing reforms, including the success of the Elite Athlete Development Board, plans to establish a Diaspo’a Athletes Board by 2026, and efforts to institutionalise integrity, infrastructure development and dispute resolution mechanisms in sports.

Gumel further announced that Nigeria’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games had been adjudged credible, with discussions ongoing towards a possible hosting opportunity in 2034, while the country also remains one of the leading bidders for the African Games.

He lauded President Bola Tinubu for approving the prioritisation of sports funding in the national budget, directing that funds allocated to sports be released immediately after budget passage, and consolidating sports-related allocations into a central sports development pool.

According to him, the decisions would guarantee predictable funding for preparations for the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and elite athlete programmes, as well as improved welfare for retired athletes.

The AGM was attended by officials of international sports federations, representatives of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), presidents of national sports federations and other stakeholders in the Nigerian sports sector. (The Sun)

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