The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, says it will organise three U-13 athletics competition in three centres across Nigeria.
This was one of the resolutions reached at its executive board meeting, held virtually on Saturday September 16, 2023 and presided over by Tafida Gadzama, its First Vice President.
The competition will be funded by World Athletics under its Grant for Growth Under 13 National Athletics Competition project.
The three centres are Abuja, Kaduna and Portharcourt/Enugu.
The AFN executive board also resolved to look into its finances, its income and expenditure since the start of 2023.
This will be the first time in over two decades an executive board of the federation will probe its own activities to ensure transparency and accountability.
The executive board appointed a five member committee led by the First Vice President, Gadzama to look into the books of the federation since the start of this administration viz its income and expenditure and report their findings to the executive board.
Other members of the committee are Mrs Maria Worphil, Mr Victor Okorie, Mr Samuel Onikeku and Mr Dare Esan.
In view of the unsavoury reports in the media of athletes not getting paid by road race organizers in Nigeria, the board mandated the road race committee
to come up with a road running manual to assist road race organisers in getting started or to help produce quality events of an international standard and
define the criteria that must be met in organizing a road running event in Nigeria.
In other decisions reached at the meeting, the AFN board resolved to draw up a Safeguarding Policy in compliance with World Athletics’ demand.
The Safeguarding policy sets expectations as well as defines the specific roles and responsibilities of the federation in protecting our athletes.
Most importantly it gives confidence and trust to our athletes that there are structures and processes in place to report safeguarding abuse.
The board agreed to appoint a safeguarding officer to see to the implementation of the policy without further delay to make our athletes feel safe and
supported.
The board also deliberated on the performance of Team Nigeria at the 19th World Athletics Championships which was held in Budapest, Hungary between August 19
and 27, 2023 and resolved that future participation of athletes in the championships and indeed other international competitions will not be limited to just
securing the entry standard set by World Athletics and, as the case may be, the AFN, but also other factors which the technical committee has been mandated
to come up with and present to the baord for approval.
COMMUNIQUE OF THE MEETING OF AFN EXECUTIVE BOARD HELD VIRTUALLY ON SATURDAY, 16TH SEPTEMBER 2023
The Executive Board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, met virtually on Saturday, 16th September, 2023 to deliberate on important issues in Nigeria
Athletics and resolved as follows:
1.) The Board congratulated the new Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh on his appointment and pledged its cooperation and loyalty to make
his tenure very successful.
It also acknowledges the Minister’s very positive meeting with Presidents and Secretary Generals of Sports Federations in Nigeria, a move it says has
rekindled hopes of more positive cooperations between the Federal Ministry of Sports Development and the Sports Federations, especially the Athletics
Federation of Nigeria.
2.) The board deliberated on the performance of Team Nigeria at the 19th World Athletics Championships which was held in Budapest, Hungary between August 19
and 27, 2023 and resolved that future participation of athletes in the championships and indeed other international competitions will not be limited to just
securing the entry standard set by World Athletics and, as the case may be, the AFN, but also other factors which the technical committee has been mandated
to come up with and present to the baord for approval.
3.) In view of the unsavoury reports in the media of athletes not getting paid by road race organizers in Nigeria, the board mandated the road race committee
to come up with a road running manual to assist road race organisers in getting started or to help produce quality events of an international standard and
define the criteria that must be met in organizing a road running event in Nigeria.
4.) In accordance with World Athletics’ safeguarding policy, the board deliberated on its safeguarding policy and and aproved the written policy for
immediate implementation.
The policy sets expectations as well as defines the specific roles and responsibilities of the federation in protecting our athletes. Most importantly it
gives confidence and trust to our athletes that there are structures and processes in place to report safeguarding abuse.
The board agreed to appoint a safeguarding officer to see to the implementation of the policy without further delay to make our athletes feel safe and
supported.
5.) In a bid to promote accountability and transparency, the board appointed a five member committee led by the First Vice President, Tafida Gadzama to look
into the books of the federation since the start of this administration viz its income and expenditure and report their findings to the executive board.
Other members of the committee are Mrs Maria Worphil, Mr Victor Okorie, Mr Samuel Onikeku and Mr Dare Esan.
6.) Following the approval of a World Athletics Grant for Growth Under 13 National Athletics Competition, the board approved the competition to be staged in
Kaduna, Abuja and either Enugu/Portharcourt before the end of 2023 and mandated the Secretary General and the relevant committee(s) to liase with the School
Sports Federation and work out the modalities for staging a successful and productive event.
IN ATTENDANCE: Tonobok Okowa (President); Tafida Gadzama (1st Vice President); Mrs Rosa Collins-Ukah (2nd Vice President); Navy Commodore (rtd) Omatseye Nesiama
(member), Maria Worphil; (Member); Victor Okorie (Member); Henry Okorie (Member); Solomon Alao (Member); Samuel Onikeku (Member); Dare Esan (Member); Rita
Moshindi (Secretary General).
