The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has publicly responded to claims made by sprinter Imaobong Nse Uko, asserting that the 21-year-old bears full responsibility for the two-year doping ban handed down by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
The federation’s statement comes days after Uko took to social media in an emotional post, accusing AFN officials of negligence, poor communication, and abandoning her during her struggles to comply with whereabouts reporting requirements.
But in a firm rebuttal, the AFN insisted that the responsibility for submitting quarterly whereabouts information—a critical requirement for elite athletes—rests solely with the athlete.
“Athletes are required to provide the following whereabouts information on a quarterly basis: home address, email address, phone number, overnight accommodations, and regular activity schedules,” the statement read.
Imaobong Nse Uko. Photo Credit: X
Uko was suspended for three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period, a violation considered equivalent to a positive doping test under international rules.
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According to the AFN, multiple reminders and notices were sent to the athlete from both the federation and Nigeria’s National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC). The body claims she failed to update her data, despite being offered guidance.
“Where the athlete is having issues with whereabouts, they reach out to the Federation who in turn take it up with the NADC, and from the chat that process was followed,” the federation stated.
“But the athlete on her part still needed to update her whereabouts.”
The AFN emphasized that it does not determine who is placed in a registered testing pool nor conduct tests itself. Those responsibilities lie with international bodies like the AIU and national anti-doping organizations.
AFN: Don’t Shift Blame
In response to Uko’s accusations, which named specific federation officials, the AFN urged athletes to take personal accountability.
“Imaobong was sent several notices both from AFN and NADC, so she should own up to her responsibility and not blame the Federation.”
Imaobong Nse Uko. Photo Credit: X
The federation also reaffirmed its commitment to anti-doping advocacy, highlighting recent seminars and workshops conducted, including sessions during the 2024 National Sports Festival in Abeokuta.
“The AFN is constantly working to ensure all our athletes compete clean.Athletes should endeavor to join the AFN campaign for a clean sport online with WADA and AIU.”
Background
Uko, who won 400m gold at the 2021 World U20 Championships, had earlier described her ban as the result of a “flawed system and a corrupt federation.”
READ MORE: Imaobong Uko: Nigerian sprinter accuses AFN of negligence after two-year ban
She said her repeated attempts to get help from AFN officials went unanswered and that she was left to navigate the complex compliance process alone.
“Despite reaching out repeatedly for help, I was met with endless excuses about network issues and told to wait. My messages often went unanswered,” she wrote in her viral post.
Her claims triggered calls for an independent investigation into the federation’s handling of athlete compliance systems, but with the AFN now publicly responding, the controversy shows no sign of quieting down.
