By ADO SALISU
All the Athletics stakeholders in Gombe state are hereby notified that on no account should any Athlete, NAATO officials participate in the about to commence Athletics competition which was billed to hold yesterday, at the Pantami Stadium, the Gombe State Athletics Association has warned.
This decision was taken yesterday by the association and was made known to this site via an e-letter which was signed by Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, the Chairman Gombe State Athletics Association.
“It is cogent to note that AthLetics World-wide have rules of engagement which all stakeholders must obey, therefore, not meeting these rules by the organisers, the Gombe State Athletics Association has decided to exit from the competition in accordance to the rules of the AthLetics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and by extension the World AthLetics,“ the released revealed.
Part of the reasons Gombe AthLetics Association is boycotting the competition according to the letter are as follows:
1. The competition is below Athletics standards both in procurement of running facilities and medical and insurance requirements.
2. The organizers of the competition are largely unknown to leaders of Gombe State Athletics Association as Facilities for the competition are either sub-standard or non-existent.
3. All NAATO officials were not formally/officially invited for the competition.
“Gombe AthLetics Association leadership cannot tolerate under its watch for Athletes and Athletics to be ridiculed or shamed by ignorant state machineries:, ” the release added.
Similarly, the Gombe State Athletics Association leadership has directed its officials not to participate in the event and failure to heed to the instructions will attract severe sanctions in accordance with the ethics of NAATO.
The release further added that any athlete that registered would risk sanctions and more penalties.
The Gombe State Athletics Association hierarchy, therefore, urges members to synergize with the State Athletics Association for growth and talent discovery.
