Six Athletes Disqualified Over Doping Offences At National Sports Festival
Nigerian boxers Cynthia Ogunsemilore and Dolapo Omole, along with four other athletes, have been banned from taking part in the 2024 National Sports Festival in Ogun State because they are currently serving doping bans.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) said that any athlete with a doping issue is not allowed to compete for medals at the festival, which is called the Gateway Games 2024.
This decision was confirmed after a joint meeting between the Main Organising Committee and the Local Organising Committee on Monday.
The NSC said the move follows international rules and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
The NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, asked all states taking part in the festival to follow the rules. He repeated that the Commission wants all athletes to compete without using banned substances.
He said, “One of our main duties is to make sure Nigerian sports are clean from drugs, both locally and internationally.”
Olopade also said the recent approval of Nigeria’s national anti-doping law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a big step forward, and its impact should be seen right away at the National Sports Festival.
Cynthia Ogunsemilore was suspended after testing positive for a banned drug before her first fight at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is also an African Games champion. She tested positive for furosemide, a type of diuretic, during a doping test outside of competition.
Other banned athletes include:
- Marcus Okon (Akwa Ibom) – Para-athletics
- Ayabeke David Opeyemi (Bayelsa) – Gymnastics
- Kareem Shukurat (Lagos) – Kick-boxing
- Animashaun Sofia (Lagos) – Para powerlifting
Ogunsemilore and Omole, though banned in boxing, were registered to compete for Bayelsa State in kick-boxing at the festival.
