Amike says IOC’s sanction against eight athletes commendable

The President of Nigeria Olympians Association, Henry Amike, has commended the International Olympics Committee for sanctioning eight of the athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement is to provide a level playing field for all clean athletes at the Olympic Games at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The IOC had put special measures in place, including targeted pre-tests and re-analysis of stored samples from the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games following an intelligence-gathering process that started in August 2015.
Amike, who gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos, added: “Justice delayed is not justice denied.
“This is to remind athletes again that no matter how long, the hands of the law can still get you.
“You can’t rob those that have worked hard for four years training.
“One may look at it and say that it took long before the decision was made, but justice delayed is not justice denied, which will encourage younger athletes to toe the path of honour.
“The IOC should be commended for ensuring that it didn’t relent in its efforts to make sports substance abuse-free.”
Amike added that the affected countries were Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
NAN reports that the additional re-analysis on samples collected during the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 were performed with improved analytical methods, to possibly detect prohibited substances that could enhance performance.
The affected athletes according to an IOC statement are Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kharzastan in women’s 53kg weightlifting; Kirill Ikonnikov of Russia in men’s hammer throws.
Others are Maiya Maneza from Kharzastan in women’s 60kg weightlifting, Svetlana Pobedova from Kharzastan in 75kg men’s weightlifting and Dzina Sazanavets from Belarus in 69kg women’s weightlifting.
Also, Marina Shkermankova from Balarus in 59kg women’s weightlifting, Dmitry Shkaermankova of Russia in men’s pole volt and Yauheni Zharnasek of Balarus in men’s 150kg weightlifting.