In a bid to ensure clean competition and uphold sports integrity, key stakeholders in Bayelsa State’s sports community gathered at the Sampson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, on Thursday, May 8, 2025, for an eye-opening seminar on drug abuse and doping.
A Call for Discipline and Clean Sportsmanship
Addressing the audience, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Chief Baraladei Daniel Igali, emphasized the importance of discipline in athletics, citing his personal journey to becoming an Olympic and World Wrestling Champion. He urged athletes and officials to uphold fair play and refrain from performance-enhancing drugs.
Adding weight to his message, Madam Grace Alagoa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, stressed the timeliness of this seminar, considering that the 22nd National Sports Festival is just days away.
The Reality Check: Doping Destroys Careers
Speaking on behalf of the Director of Sports of the Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr. Andrew Aye, HOD Organizing, warned that doping may give short-term gains but leads to long-term consequences, including health complications, bans, and ruined careers.
The seminar, organized by the medical department of the Bayelsa State Sports Council, saw a full house of coaches, athletes, administrators, and officials, all eager to learn more about staying drug-free in competitive sports.
Sports Medicine Experts Speak Out
Dr. Justice Patani Akpotu, HOD Medicals, reinforced the message, stating that drug abuse is foreign to Bayelsa athletes and clean sportsmanship should remain a top priority. Experts like Pharm. Dr. Peter Owonaro, Dr. Henry Prince Osain, Dr. Kio, Dr. Charles S.I. Osain, Dr. Daniel Orunvense, and Dr. Chai Francis took turns to lecture on staying drug-free, proper nutrition, healthy coping mechanisms, and the sanctions for offenders.
With the Gateway Games 2024 around the corner, Bayelsa athletes and officials are now equipped with the knowledge to compete fairly, honorably, and with integrity.
