A former President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, Tony Urhobo, on Monday urged the country’s athletes to the 14th IAAF Championships in Moscow to stay focused.
The championships are scheduled to hold from August10 to 18.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the athletes should concentrate on their training schedules and stay disciplined to boost their chances of excelling at the championships.
“It is too late to say that the AFN should camp them, but the athletes should just concentrate on whatever training they have had and they should be focused,” Urhobo said.
“They should be disciplined; track and field is no guesswork. These championships are where the best in the world will participate and Nigeria needs to be steadfast.
“Competing with the best in the world is not a joke, so they should not lose focus.”
Urhobo, who is also a former coach, advised the athletes to shun performance-enhancing drugs to avoid being embarrassment.
He said, “The IAAF is trying in the area of curbing the use of banned substances.
“I also want to caution our athletes to desist from such acts because we don’t have the capacity to influence decisions at that level.
“Those who usually stand to protect their athletes when faced with drug issues are mainly the superpower nations and Nigeria does not even stand among them.
“So, do not try to take drugs because the very minute you try it, you will be caught. As a coach, I knew the effects of performance-enhancing drugs.”
“If you use them for the sake of winning money and fame, the effect is that you will use the money to take care of your life because the drug usually damages your body system. If it is for the fame, when you are caught, you will be stripped of the title,” he added.
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