All existing and future road race organizers in Nigeria must register with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) as a pre-requisite to obtaining race sanctioning.
AFN Vice President, Tafida Gadzama, who also heads the federation’s road racing sub-committee, said this was necessary following complaints over non-payment of prize money and non-certified race course measurements.
“AFN received a letter from World Athletics warning that the federation will be held responsible for non-payment of prize money. This is unacceptable, and to ensure that our athletes are rewarded for participating in road races, all road race organizers must register annually with AFN and will be given a license that certifies,” Gadzama said.
The AFN says that registration as a road race organizer is only the first step in obtaining race sanctioning.
“Other conditions to be met will be attached to the license that will be issued at the time of registration,” he said.
AFN, through its road racing sub-committee, will also send technical and medical delegations to all registered road races in Nigeria.
“We have seen races where the rules of World Athletics competitions are not strictly followed and where world records are set when we, now, know the level of our athletes. As World Athletics does to protect the integrity of road racing around the world, especially with the road racing label , AFN, as an affiliate of the world body, could not do otherwise, hence the decision to send a technical and medical delegation.
He added: “The technical delegation will ensure that all World Athletics rules are strictly applied before, during and after the race, and that all race courses are measured correctly.”