Ahead Of Mauritius Championship

DESPITE A provisional ban on Ghana?s Aziz Zakari, ahead of next month?s Africa Athletics Championship, in Mauritius, the National Sports Council (NSC) is putting it bits and pieces together to seal all loopholes, before the African competition teed off.

Aziz is on a provisional suspension by the IAAF after traces of the banned substance Stanozolol, was found in his urine sample, and is currently awaiting a second test result.

But, NSC has requested the sport?s world governing body to step up investigations into the case after a second urine sample test, to prevent a two-year mandatory ban from the sport.

NSC?s chief executive officer (CEO), Mr. Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah told Guide Sports yesterday that plans were far advanced to ensure Ghana?s great marks at the Mauritius Championship.

Mr. Oduro-Mensah expressed the firm hope that, come the Athletics Meet, the Ghanaian contingent would have sharpened all rough edges, so as to lift Ghana?s image into the stratosphere.

According to the NSC Boss, his outfit has written to the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) to demand official notification from the sports? ruling body on the provisional drugs ban imposed on the athlete. ?It?s been some days now, but we?ve not heard any news from IAAF, as well as Aziz, as regards his drug scandal,? sighed Mr. Oduro-Mensah.

The Sports Council has launched feverish moves to get in touch with the sprinter, but all efforts have yielded no results.

?It?s our hope that Aziz would be cleared, to feature in the African Championship. However, should that fail, we would still be set for the Championship,? Mr. Oduro-Mensah indicated.