Sports
Ajunwa Warns Athletes Against Drugs
Chioma Ajunwa, Nigeria’s Olympic gold medalist in athletics, has advised aspiring athletes not to use drugs to enhance their performance.
Ajunwa gave the advice while addressing athletes taking part in the 4th Athletics Federation of Nigeria Golden League competition at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, at the weekend.
“You may think that these substances can help you, but they destroy you and also your career,” she said.
The Atlanta Olympics heroine also advised them to avoid taking common analgesics such as aspirin and codeine, noting that an athlete could test positive if he or she took an overdose of these pain killers.
“In the same way, you should avoid kolanut and even bitter kola minutes before any event.
“Otherwise, you will be surprised when they tell you that you have been disqualified,” she said.
The Olympian recalled her experience as an innocent victim of the ignorant abuse of substances.
She, however, said that she overcame the trauma “because it happened after I had won the gold”.
In an interview with Tide sports source, Ajunwa said corporate organisations had done much in funding athletics, but called for more sponsorship.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.
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