The President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul has described the success recorded by Team Nigeria weightlifters at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham United Kingdom as a victory for all and not for an individual glory.
Speaking to press at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Asaba, the president disclosed that the performance of weightlifters in Birmingham is a collective responsibility of a team achievement, from the technical crew, that did all they have to do while the athletes worked day and night to ensure that victory was achieved at the top levels.
The NWF Boss noted that the board’s stance for early camping of lifters ahead of major championships have yielded dividends and that the board would continue to improve on this ahead of forthcoming competitions.
“Most of the time I hear people tell me President congratulations, I quickly correct it because the success is for us in the new board,” Dr Abdul said.
“What we do in the weightlifting is that our emphasis is on early camping for all the championship looking at the fact that we have done well on the international scene and now we want to come back home and organize National event where our athletes can showcase themselves as we prepare to fish out top stars ahead of the next Olympic.
He therefore maintained that all weightlifters that has put in entries for the event starting later today must make sure that they come out to compete clean as the new board has zero tolerance for the use of banned substances.
“Let me sound a warning that for us in the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation that its a No for us in term of doping and the coaches and the athletes know that we have Zero Tolerance for Doping and all the athletes knows that, the technical team and the coaches have been speaking to everyone and I am sure that we wont have anyone that will have any issue of doping at the National Sports Festival.”
