Topic: News: Nigeria "Ruined By Drugs"

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Ruined By Drugs
By Victor Ugborgu

Many world sports stars, including Nigerians, have had their careers terminated prematurely through the use of performance-enhancing substances

Performance-enhancing substances have become today's nemesis of sports men and women. Many of them have either had their career cut short at their prime or even lost their lives in the process. Not only that, some sports associations have either been banned from participating in international competitions or fined huge sums of money because their members indulged in drugs before or during sporting events.

The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, is the latest victim of such ban. The hammer of the International Weightlifting Federation, IWF, fell on it recently as it was been banned from participating in international events for one year in addition to a fine of $30,000 because two Nigerian lifters tested positive to banned performance enhancing drugs during trials in Ilorin, Kwara State, in November last year. With the ban, Nigeria did not participate in the sporting event in the just concluded Melbourne 2006 commonwealth games, Australia. The International body initially imposed a fine of $250,000 on Nigeria but it was reduced to $30,000 and a one year ban after much deliberations on the issue.

The ban might be lifted on September 7, if the NWF is able to meet the conditions attached to the ban. Sam Edem, chairman, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, is currently looking for a way to re-orientate the weightlifters before the expiration of the ban, to enable the federation feature in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

In the last two months, he has organised seminars to educate the lifters on the need to abstain from drugs. He also used the NDDC open weightlifting championship held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State last month to create awareness among the lifters on the dangers of drugs in the lives of sportsmen and women. "My main concern is how to re-organise the federation and educate the new lifters on the dangers of drugs in their careers," he said.

Steve Olarinoye, secretary general of NWF, admitted that the two lifters used banned drugs but insisted that the one year ban was unnecessary since the federation accepted to pay the $30,000 fine. He, however, said the federation would find a way to stamp out the issue of drug among athletes. This, would save Nigeria further embarrassment in sports.

In 2003, the International Association of Athletes Federation, IAAF, banned 10 Nigerian athletes because they tested positive to banned substances during the Edo 2002 national sports festival. They were banned from participating in International competitions for two years. The same year, Chioma Ajunwa, the Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist was banned for life by the World Athletic body for the same offence. In 2004, two Nigerian wrestlers were banned after they tested positive to banned drugs. Many Nigerians boxers have also been banned at different times for the same offence.

Drug abuse among sportsmen and women is a global problem that has ruined the lives and career of many men and women. George Best, ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland football star died of multiple organ failure arising from his addiction to drugs, November last year.

Diego Amando Maradona, the Argentine soccer legend is yet to recoverfully from a drug-related illness that cut short his football career. Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter fell to drug abuse too.

Carl Lewis, a famous athlete also admitted taking performance enhancing drugs a before the 1988 Seoul Olympics where he performed beyond the ordinary. He got away with it. Marian Jones, the American queen of the tracks was also indicted for drug taking that nearly shattered her career.

Last month, police found more than 100 syringes and 30 packs of different drugs including asthma drugs and antidepressants during the February 18, raid on the Austrian Olympic house. The raid became necessary following complaints of abuse of drugs among Austrian athletes in the country's team. The police also seized blood testing and transfusion devices used by athletes to inject themselves.

The most abused drugs are peptide hormones and analogues. These drugs comprise the Human Chronic Gonadofrophin, HCG, Human Growth Hormone, HGH, and Adreno Corticoptrophic Hormone, ACTH. Another drug widely abused in sports is Insulin. It has been discovered over the years that the abuse of this drug leads to hypoglycaemia. This is a sudden drop in blood glucose level. It could also lead to coma and sudden death.

It has also been found by medical experts that Erythropoietein is also widely abused by sports men and women. This drug is known to cause blood clots in the brain. The abuse of these hormones could also lead to sodium and water retention, decreased immunity, skin problems and weakening of the bones. It could also cause bone decay, diabetes, muscular pains and inflammation.

Drug abuse is the wrong use of certain substances by sports men and women to enhance their mental, physical and social performances. These drugs could help in building up their stamina and confidence. The users also depend on the drugs to increase their muscles, especially among wrestlers and weight lifters.

Unfortunately, the negative effects of these drugs on both the users and the society outweighs the immediate gains. Doctors say the use of drugs could lead to "dependence." In that case, the substance becomes the first priority in the life of the person. Once hooked on it, the addict finds it difficult to stop the habit on his or her own and would need medical treatment to get over it. Not all addicts ever kick out the habit.

NAFDAC has been campaigning against drug abuse in the country. It has organised several seminars to educate sportsmen and women on the dangers of drug abuse.

The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, has budgeted $23.8 million for this year to enable it combat drug abuse. Richard W. Pound, chairman of WADA, said Madrid, Spain had been selected to host the third world conference on doping in sports, in November 2007. WADA is also making effort to compel FIFA to comply with its code on drug abuse among footballers.

[Matt Foreman]

Not only has Carl Lewis never admitted to taking drugs (that I'm aware of), he's been known to sue people who accuse him of taking drugs.  This writer needs to be careful.

[Gabriel Grinstead]

Not only has Carl Lewis never admitted to taking drugs (that I'm aware of), he's been known to sue people who accuse him of taking drugs.  This writer needs to be careful.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Lewis

Lewis was often very outspoken during his career against those athletes who used perfomance enhancing drugs. He stressed his Christian beliefs and fair play and was very damning of those who were caught out, particularly Ben Johnson. However, in 2003 Lewis admitted that he had tested positive three times for banned stimulants during the 1988 Olympic trials. Lewis claimed that he ingested the banned substances by mistake in an "herbal supplement". He was allowed to compete in the Seoul Olympics after the U.S. Olympic Committee ruled that his use of stimulants was "inadvertent" and not performance-enhancing. In Seoul he went on to receive the gold medal in the 100 metre sprint after the disqualification of Canada's Ben Johnson. Some scientists believe that the failed tests could be evidence of "masking drugs" used to conceal the use of more serious substances such as steroids. The International Olympic Committee has affirmed that Lewis' medals will not be revoked because it maintains a three year statute of limitations on such cases. Allegations have been made that the USOC did not properly enforce IOC policies on banned substances.

[Matt Foreman]

As the article says, Lewis did admit to testing positive for a banned substance that he says was found in an herbal supplement.  But that's not exactly the same as admitting steroid/performance-enhancing drug use, which was what I was talking about.  It's the same line Barry Bonds is trying to get everybody to swallow with his clear/cream stuff.

[Gabriel Grinstead]

Yeah, but if you research a bit more, you will find a few articles on the cover up.  Actually, I wish I was at work so I could provide the link.  It was written in 2003... Something seems rather shady about the whole deal.

Besides, performance enchancing drugs is a rather broad term. Not to mention the designed drugs... Actually, I have red flag about most of the top world athletes at this point.  With everyone getting busted, entire teams involved in scandles etc... I certain there are several more athletes who simply have not been caught and probably will never be caught.

But that is besides the point.  I have nothing against Eric Lewis, in fact, he is and was my favorate Olympian of all time.  I think many thing of him that way... It is just that, it seems very possible he did take them.

Just my opinion on the matter, but I definately believe more people are on them then people even realize... Most likely your top world athletes are on some type of drug developed in a lab that has gone unoticed. I trust very little these days.  But I don't go around accusing people, just in the back of mind is always lingering.