Nigerian boxer’s Olympic journey ends abruptly after failing a doping test, raising concerns about doping in sports.
On Saturday, the International Testing Agency declared that Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore, a Nigerian boxer, has been expelled from the Paris Olympics due to her breach of an anti-doping regulation.
According to a statement by the ITA, the sample obtained from the boxer indicated an unfavorable analytical result for furosemide which is listed as a banned substance.
According to the ITA, Furosemide falls into the category of “diuretics and masking agents” as designated by WADA.
On Thursday, which was a day before the opening ceremony of Olympics in Paris, the sample was gathered and subsequently reported by an accredited laboratory under WADA on Saturday.
The agency stated that the athlete has been notified about the matter and has received a temporary suspension until it is resolved.
According to the ITA, this implies that the athlete is barred from engaging in any activity including coaching, training or participating in Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Ogunsemilore is entitled to contest her temporary suspension through the Court of Arbitration and may additionally petition for an evaluation of the B sample.
Scheduled to make his Olympic debut on Monday, the 22-year-old was a boxer in the under 60 kg category.
Since the commencement of the Games, two additional athletes have been suspended.
On Friday, the ITA disclosed that Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen had been found positive for prohibited anabolic steroids during testing.
Meanwhile, Lisvel Eve Mejia, a volleyball athlete from the Dominican Republic has been found positive for furosemide.
