Sports
IAAF President To Sanitise Athletics
The President of Interna
tional Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Sebastian Coe, at the weekend said he would clean up athletics from its current mess.
According to InsideGames, an online portal, Coe spoke to the British Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sports Committee during an inquiry on recent excessive doping cases in world athletics in London.
The IAAF president defended his sport against recent accusations of rampant drug abuse and also his ignorance about the extent of the problem before he succeeded Lamine Diack, former IAAF president.
“I have experience and support to clean up athletics, have there been failures? Yes. Will we fix them? Absolutely, I am focused on doing that.
“This is a crossroads for athletics, I want the sport to be trusted again and I can put the system back in place,’’ he said.
Coe also claimed he did not have suspicions that Diack, currently under investigation for accepting money to help Russian athletes, who failed drug tests to avoid suspensions, was corrupt.
“I felt shock suffused with sorrow and anger about his arrest in Paris last month, he was our President, if I had seen allegations I would probably not have said it,’’ he noted.
Accompanied by Thomas Capdevielle, IAAF anti-doping manager, Coe refuted accusations published by “The Sunday Times’’ in August that a third of the medals had been won by athletes with suspicious blood tests.
“There are three different issues here, we are dealing with the management of blood database, and then there is World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) indicting Russia.
“The third issue that has implicated a handful of people at the IAAF at being complicit, there is a reckless use of database to risk the reputation of clean athletes.
“I am focused on sorting out the mess IAAF currently finds itself in, if we do not do that, there would be no tomorrow for my sport.’’ the president said.
The National Division One and Division Two Volleyball Leagues organised by the Volleyball Federation of Nigeria and sponsored by Alex Otti has kicked off in Umuahia, Abia State.
The Championship features 34 teams from across the country, with about 22 States already participating in activities lined up for the ten-day event.
Addressing journalists at the Umuahia Stadium, the Referee Coach for the tournament and Vice Chairman Nigerian Volleyball Referees Association, Mohamed Mohamed, assured of fair officiating in the competition and advised the athletes to be more disciplined in the field of play, saying that volleyball is known to be a disciplined sport.
He also commended Governor Alex Otti for sponsoring the tournament for the second time.
“Last year, we were here, and we so appreciate the Abia State Government for sponsoring such a competition. The same thing happened this year too, we are here again.
The Coordinator, Lagos Women Run, Tayo Popoola, has stated that the All Women 10km Race aims to connect through their communities, while creating empowerment opportunities.
The 10th edition with the theme: “One Run, a thousand Opportunities,” will come up on the November 8th, 2025, with the start point at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and end at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena, Onikan.
This year’s edition of the Lagos Women Run marks a significant milestone, celebrating the program’s journey, the vibrant city of Lagos, and the incredible women who have been part of it since its inception.
It will focus more on empowering women, acknowledging their dedication, and ensuring the program’s sustainability by providing participants with opportunities they deserve.
Popoola added that the race has achieved remarkable success in making women happy and uncovering talents, serving as a platform for participants to train for bigger road races, which fosters a strong sense of community, allowing women of all ages to connect, network, and celebrate themselves.
The event’s non-discriminatory nature makes it a level playing ground, open to everyone regardless of social status, by promoting general well-being among women.
The Franco-Malian tactician made the bold declaration whilst speaking to Nigerian legend Segun Odegbami on 90 Minutes with Mathematical on Eagle7FM on Saturday, expressing gratitude to fans for their support.
“Thanks to the fans. Thanks to Nigeria. I am so happy that I have brought back the smiles on their faces,” Chelle said.
“We beat Benin because the fans pushed the players. I ask them this: They have to do this (for the playoffs)… I plan to do my best for Nigeria, and Inshallah, we will go to the FIFA World Cup.”
Chelle, who took charge of a struggling Nigerian side in January, has transformed the team’s fortunes after inheriting a squad on the brink of disaster. Nigeria were winless in their first four qualifiers, with three draws and one defeat threatening to derail another World Cup dream.
Under his leadership, the Super Eagles rallied to win four and draw two of their last six games, collecting 14 points from a possible 18. The highlight came earlier this month in Uyo, where Nigeria swept past Benin Republic 4-0 in a statement victory that reignited national belief.
However, the revival was not enough to seal automatic qualification. Nigeria finished among the four best runners-up in Africa and must now navigate a continental playoff in November for a spot in next March’s intercontinental tie.
The first challenge is a one-legged showdown with Gabon, with Cameroon or DR Congo potentially waiting beyond.
Chelle’s message to his players was uncompromising, saying, “Qualifying for the FIFA World Cup is not a war, but it is like a war… My players need to have a warrior state of mind… They have to be like sharks.”