Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos chapter and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will hold a workshop symposium against the use of illicit substances, drug abuse and doping in Lagos on Wednesday, 13 September 2023.
The workshop will be held in partnership with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Lagos State Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Sports Development, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Golfview Hotel and Conference Center and of course the collaborating family National Anti-Doping Committee NADC.
According to the Chairman of Lagos SWAN, Olatutu Oladunni, the symposium will start by 9am at the Golfview Hotel and Conference Center on General Adeyinka Adebayo Road, off Oba Akinjobi Way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
Oladunni further said the workshop is meant to orientate, re-orientate, guide and support stakeholders in the Nigerian sports sector on the danger inherent in the use of illicit substances, drug abuse and doping with 2024 world Olympic championships in view, adding that various sports federations, athletes, and officials will be participating in the event.
The event has already been receiving facilitating support from Nigeria Breweries, Coca Cola, Rite Foods, CarolKings Media Nigeria Limited and others, while The Nation newspaper, Arise TV and New Post magazine are official media partners for the event.
She said the time has come to change the narratives and negative signal sent to to the public which can kill sports sector and the stakeholders in it.
The chairman added that it is important sports sector is made to be a sellable brand that will attract investors across the globe which no doubt will add outstanding productivity to the Nigerian economy and tourism.
“Giving utmost priority to the athletes and critical stakeholders in sports which include coaches and technical team is essential at this point, and we need to work together as one family to achieve positive result,” Oladunni said.
