By Ohuakanwa Chibuzo
Nigeria’s African Games lightweight champion, Cynthia Ogunsemilore, has strongly refuted doping allegations brought forward by the International Testing Agency (ITA). The ITA has provisionally suspended Ogunsemilore, preventing her from participating in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
The ITA reported that Ogunsemilore tested positive for the banned diuretic furosemide in a sample taken the previous Friday. However, the southpaw boxer denied these allegations, asserting her innocence and demanding another test to clear her name.
“This looks like a set-up to tarnish my image and deny me a chance to win Olympic gold. I have never doped in my life. Maybe they mistook my sample with somebody else’s, but not mine,” said a composed Cynthia Ogunsemilore. “They want to ruin my career. I’m still in the Games Village and tonight (Sunday) there’s a hearing where I’ll explain that I have not taken anything, and they can test me again to prove them wrong.”
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Despite the gravity of the situation, Nigeria’s coach in Paris, Adura Olalehin, a light-heavyweight bronze medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, has remained silent on the issue.
In other news from the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nigerian boxer Olaitan Olaore faced a defeat in the men’s 92kg Boxing Heavyweight Preliminaries. He lost to Kazakhstan’s Oralbay Aibek, who won the bout by a unanimous decision, 5-0.
Oralbay Aibek secured his victory and progressed to the next round, winning all three rounds with all five judges ruling in his favour, scoring a total of 30-26 points against Olaore.
As the controversy surrounding Ogunsemilore unfolds, the boxing community and fans await the outcome of her hearing and the potential implications for her career and Nigeria’s representation in the sport.
