Sports
IAAF Approves Application Of 16 Russian Athletes
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Doping Review Board has approved the applications of 16 Russian athletes to compete in international competitions as neutral athletes under Competition Rule 22.1A(b).
A statement on the federation’s website on Sunday showed that this stands as the Russian national federation (RusAF) remains suspended.
Tidesports source gathered that the Doping Review Board is composed of Robert Hersh as chairman, with Sylvia Barlag and Antti Pihlakoski as the other members.
The athletes include Viktor Butenko (discus), Timofey Chalyy (400m hurdles), Danil Danilov (hammer), Olga Eliseeva (race walks – European U20 Championships only), Alexey Fedorov (triple jump) and Irina Gemeniuk (triple jump).
Also on the list of the 16 athletes are Irina Gordeeva (high jump), Viacheslav Kolesnichenko (sprints), Alexsandr Lesnoi (shot put), Konstantin Lyadusov (shot put), Iuliia Maltseva (discus) and Alena Mamina (sprints).
The rest are Alexsandr Menkov (long jump), Viktoriia Prokopenko (triple jump), Ilya Shkurenev (decathlon) and Valentin Smirnov (middle distance)
The statement added that the Doping Review Board has extended neutral athlete status for three athletes who have been previously approved to be able to compete at the European U20 Championships.
These athletes are Aksana Gataullina (pole vault), Polina Miller (sprints) and Yana Smerdova (race walks).
The statement however noted that the participation of all these athletes as neutral athletes in international competitions was still subject to formalities for eligibility under IAAF Rules being completed.
Participation is also subject to acceptance of their entries by individual meeting organisers.
Tidesports source also gathered that in total this year, 39 applications have been approved, of which nine are for the forthcoming IAAF World U-18 Championships.
IAAF President Sebastian Coe said it was important to reiterate that the review process was about ensuring there was a level-playing field in which the world’s clean athletes have confidence.
“I want to thank once again the members of the Doping Review Board for their continued dedication and diligence in assessing these applications to compete internationally as independent neutral athletes.
“It is a huge task and one which cannot be rushed if we are to ensure the rights and aspirations of clean athletes are protected.”
It was disclosed that since publication of updated guidelines under Rule 22.1A (b) earlier this year, the IAAF has received over 150 applications from Russian athletes.
More than 50 of these have been endorsed by their national federation, the RusAF.
A number of these applications remain under review by the Doping Review Board in accordance with the guidelines.
This is ongoing as stored samples continue to be re-analysed and the athletes referenced in the Independent Person’s report published last December continue to be assessed in consultation with experts.
“This being an ongoing process, the IAAF will only make announcements as and when decisions are made by the Doping Review Board concerning successful applications and those athletes have been duly informed,” the athletics sport governing body said.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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