By Gbenga Jolaosho
The minister of sports, Tanmmy Danagogo, has vowed not to treat the issue of dope test failure with kid gloves, promising to deal with any coach or official who encourage athletes to use drugs or any banned substance in sports in the country.
Danagogo took this stand in his first official reaction to the drug failure of Miss Chika Amalaha, at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
He said henceforth all athletes would be subjected to MRI test as a condition for double checking the status of athletes before any major competition.
The sports minister said the case of Amahala was a big embarrassment to the country, and assured that no effort would be spared to checkmate such ugly incident from recurring.
His words: “I will ensure the use of MRI scanning devices amongst others, as routine on our age-grade players, and pre-competition drug-test regime on athletes generally.
“And any officials and coaches who are found to encourage or condone cheating of any kind would face severe sanctions.
“The reported first sample drug-test failure of our female weightlifter is very embarrassing and I feel so sad, although I am still convinced that the 16-year-old Amalaha is innocent and hopes that she doesn’t fail the “confirmation test”.
Danagogo assured that the Federal Government would continue to support and fund sports as one the tools for youths development in the country, adding that he would always use his position “to enshrine tenets of integrity and fair competition in our sports, especially as it concerns the youths.”
