The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has listed Nigeria as one of the National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADO) that failed to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code.
The announcement was made during WADA’s Executive Committee (EXCO) and Foundation Board meetings held in Montreal, Canada, on November 16 and 17, 2023.
Following the recommendations from the Compliance Review Committee (CRC), the EXCO declared three NADOs—Venezuela, Nigeria, and Tunisia—as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.
The decision came after an audit carried out by WADA in late 2022 revealed that the Nigerian NADO had not addressed several critical requirements.
As a consequence of this non-compliance, Nigeria will face a number of sanctions until the reinstatement conditions are met.
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- The country will not be awarded the right to host regional, continental, and world championships and events organized by major event organizations.
- The flag will not be flown at regional, continental, and world championships and events organized by major event organizations (other than the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games).
- The Nigerian flag will not be flown at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
This development marks a significant setback for the country in the global anti-doping system and underscores the importance of compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code.