LIGHTWEIGHT boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore was on Saturday provisionally suspended after she tested positive for a banned substance ahead of her opening fight at the Paris Olympics.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) said Ogunsemilore tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic on WADA’s prohibited list, in an out-of-competition doping control collected on Thursday.
“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 Anti-Doping Rules,” the ITA said.
“This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“The athlete has the right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division. The athlete also has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample.”
The 22-year-old Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and African Games champion had been due to take on Taiwan’s Wu Shih Yi in a round of 16 bout on Tuesday.
Ogunsemilore’s ordeal headlines a catalogue of woes that have been the lot of Team Nigeria since arriving in the French capital.
For example, an administrative error made the female basketball team miss the opening ceremony which came after the Super Falcons were beaten by Brazil 1-0.
The men’s Table Tennis singles event in which Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo were involved left a bitter and sour taste on the lips of Team Nigeria as both players crashed out in the first round.
Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will later today take on their counterparts from Spain.
Eighteen-Eleven Media