The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru over doping allegations, with the athlete facing a possible six-year ban if found guilty of possessing and using a banned substance.
The three-time African Championships medallist’s sanction comes after he was identified as an associate of the embattled kinesiologist and naturopathic doctor Eric Lira, who is currently facing criminal charges in the United States for his involvement in doping cases.
Lira was alleged to have communicated with the athletes through encrypted messaging before supplying them with performance-enhancing drugs.
After fellow countrywoman Blessing Okagbare, who received an 11-year suspension for her involvement in an “organized doping regimen” during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Oduduru is the second Nigerian to be linked to Lira.
According to the AIU, the 26-year-old is facing one charge of possession and one related to the use of undisclosed prohibited substances, and was identified through text messages on Okagbare’s mobile phone, after deep investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as permitted by the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which allows criminal charges to be brought against those found to have committed anti-doping rule violations.
The AIU has provisionally suspended Divine Oduduru (Nigeria) for possession/use or attempted use of a Prohibited Substance.
Details here: https://t.co/ScnuxMNjEE pic.twitter.com/EMqiH9L3xc
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) February 9, 2023
Oduduru was identified as ‘Athlete 2’ in the AIU’s complaint in a statement they released on Thursday.
It read: “The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has notified Div\\ine Oduduru of two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) and is seeking a six-year ban against the Nigerian.”
“The sprinter has been notified of potential ADRVs for possession (Rule 2.6 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules; ADR) and/or use or attempted use of multiple Prohibited Substances (Rule 2.2 ADR). He has been provisionally suspended immediately.”
“These alleged violations stem from an AIU investigation based on information in a criminal charge brought against US-based “naturopathic” therapist Eric Lira, on 12 January 2022, by the United States Department of Justice under the Rodchenkov Act”
“Lira is alleged to have supplied performance-enhancing drugs to athletes before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (delayed until summer 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic).”
“The complaint against Lira provides specific information regarding persons identified as ‘Athlete 1’ and ‘Athlete 2’. In February 2022, a sole arbitrator of the AIU Disciplinary Tribunal concluded that they were “comfortably satisfied” that ‘Athlete 1’ was Oduduru’s team-mate, Blessing Okagbare, and banned her from the sport for ten years, which was increased to an 11-year ban in June 2022 following further charges brought by the AIU”.
Although Oduduru competed at the last Olympics, he was unable to inspire Nigeria to a podium finish due to his disqualification in the heats of the men’s 100m for a false start while also failing to make the final of the men’s 200m.
The sprinter was also not a part of Team Nigeria at the 2022 African Athletics Championships in Mauritius, as well as the World Championships and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
