Nigerian boxer Ogunsemilore banned from Olympics for failing drug test

Nigerian boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore has been banned from competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after failing a drug test.

The 22-year-old, a gold medalist at the African Games and bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games, tested positive for the banned substance furosemide, a diuretic.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducted the out-of-competition test on July 25, on behalf of the International Olympic Committee. Ogunsemilore tested positive for furosemide, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited list.

“The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Anti-Doping Rules,” ITA statement reads.

Ogunsemilore is now barred from training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a significant blow for Team Nigeria. Although she has the right to appeal the result, any decision will not be reached in time for her scheduled Olympic debut against Shih Yi Wu of Chinese Taipei.

This marks the second consecutive Olympics where Nigeria has faced doping scandals. Sprinter Blessing Okagbare was banned for 11 years in 2021 for using human growth hormone.

Nigeria has also been under scrutiny from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over alleged non-compliance of its national anti-doping agency.

Nigeria’s anti-doping body denies the accusations, and the case is currently before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The latest doping case casts a long shadow over Nigeria’s Olympic campaign and raises further concerns about the country’s anti-doping efforts.