Nigerian Divine Oduduru has been handed a six-year ban following a N3 million high quality

One other doping scandal has rocked the Nigerian athletics world, with one of many nation's quickest ever sprinters, Divine Oduduru, handed a six-year ban for doping-related offences.

As per a press assertion issued by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Thursday, Oduduru has been handed a six-year ban by a three-member disciplinary panel for committing two anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).

Offenses embrace possession of a prohibited substance and tried use of a prohibited substance or methodology. As well as, Oduduru has been ordered to pay a $3,000 (greater than $3 million) high quality to World Athletics to cowl prices associated to the case.

The ban is retroactive from February 9, 2023, the date of Oduduru's provisional suspension, and can run till February 8, 2029.

Moreover, all of Oduduru's outcomes from July 12, 2021 till the date of his provisional suspension have been disqualified.

Crime investigation

In accordance with the AIU assertion on Thursday, the case unfolded as a part of a prison investigation into Eric Lira, the primary particular person to plead responsible underneath the US Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act for offering performance-enhancing medication to Olympic athletes previous to the Olympic Enjoying in Tokyo. .

The U.S. Division of Justice's first criticism, issued in January 2022, concerned two athletes, “Athlete-1” and “Athlete-2.” The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) recognized “Athlete-1” as Blessing Okagbare, who was handed an 11-year ban final yr, and concluded after an interview with Oduduru that he was “Athlete-2”.

Brett Clothier, head of the AIU, expressed his satisfaction with the end result, stating: “We’re more than happy with the end result of this case given its notably critical nature, exposing the sinister conspiracy between athletes and different people who intentionally have plans to deprave athletics. the best degree.”

Clothier emphasised the AIU's dedication to exposing dishonest and acknowledged its collaboration with investigative organizations equivalent to the US Anti-Doping Company (USADA) and the US Division of Justice, whose authorized attain supplied essential proof in each Oduduru's and that of Okagbare.

Responsible

The panel discovered Oduduru responsible of possession of a managed substance and tried use of a managed substance, treating these as a single first offense.

The necessary four-year ban for the mixed offense was prolonged for an additional two years because of aggravating circumstances.

The panel justified the longer ban by citing Oduduru's involvement in a scheme with a teammate to buy a number of unspecified banned substances to affect athletic competitions.

Oduduru, who turned 27 on October 7, has maintained his innocence regardless of overwhelming proof in opposition to him.

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The AIU's case was primarily based on WhatsApp messages between Okagbare and Lira, which revealed Oduduru's request for banned substances and photographic proof of those substances in his Florida condo.

The substances discovered included human development hormone (Somatropin), artificial insulin development issue (IGF LR3) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO).

The panel thought of it a rare coincidence that these materials precisely matched the materials Okagbare requested from Lira for each herself and Oduduru.

The panel concluded that Oduduru was in constructive possession of the Prohibited Substances primarily based on the circumstances surrounding their discovery underneath his unique management.

Regardless of the ban and damning proof, Oduduru maintained his innocence, and the fallout from this scandal can have lasting penalties for his athletics profession and the broader integrity of athletic competitors.