The Athletics Integrity Unit has given the world elite brand, Okpekpe International a clean bill of health, following the negative dope tests recorded at the one-day event.
According to the race Director of the Okpekpe Edo state game, Zack Amodu, the result of the doping control carried out on race day (May 28) had returned an all-negative result.
In an e-mail message to promoter of the race, Mike Itemuagbor, the AIU, which sits at the heart of World Athletics’ integrity reforms, confirmed that none of the samples taken at the event tested positive for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
“I am glad to inform you that the results of the analysis on the samples collected after the race, performed at the WADA-accredited laboratory of Lausanne, did not reveal the presence and/or use of a substance or method prohibited under the current WADA prohibited list,” Stefano Longo, the AIU In Competition Testing Manager, wrote.
This development, according to Amodu, is a re-confirmation of the organisers’ resolve to ensure athletes competed cleanly and fairly.
“This is not only a good development for the sport, it is equally a big plus for the organisers of the race and Nigeria,” Amodu said.
“When we decided to make Dr Akin Amao, who retired as Head, Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports and one of Nigeria’s foremost sports medicine practitioners, as our head of the anti-doping unit for the race, it is because we wanted to ensure everything about the race had a touch of excellence and integrity.
“This has given Edo State and Nigeria a positive image that money cannot buy. It will also directly or indirectly help the reclassification of Nigeria from a high risk doping nation.”