Lagos – The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) on Tuesday said it would commence a random doping test for players hoping to participate in local competitions in 2016.
Olatunji Fasimoye, the Technical Director of NRFF, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the test became necessary because of the dope scandal facing some sports federations at the international scene.
“We as a federation will not tolerate our players involved in doping of any sort and we constantly communicate this to them in rugby.
“Players are randomly tested after every international game but we intend to start the random testing next year in local games.
“So far, Nigeria has a clean sheet as it may concern doping in the international scene.
“We have been able to achieve this through constant sensitisation of coaches and players,” he said.
Fasimoye, however, cautioned athletes to consult medical practitioners before taking medicines, noting that some medicines contained banned substances.
“On the impact of stimulant in performance; based on my experience at times, most players test positive because of their ignorance and lack of proper education.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“They take drugs for personal treatment without proper prescription from a qualified sports doctor,” he said.
He also advised them to shun performance enhancing drugs, saying it destroyed their dignity and at the end, reduced performance.
“Taking performance enhancing drugs does not only destroy health, it also destroys ones dignity.
“My advice to the athletes is to avoid performance enhancing drugs; it reduces your performance in the long run.
“They should learn from athletes that have been engaged in one form of performance enhancing drugs or the other and see what their life is now; I won’t mention names.
“If you want to be a legend, then you have to practise your career clean,’’ Fasimoye said.
NAN reports that the NRFF organises the South-West Rugby league, the Northern League and some invitational competitions. (NAN)
