Nigerian lightweight boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance ahead of her opening fight at the Paris Olympics.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) announced on Saturday that the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and African Games champion tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list, during an out-of-competition doping control conducted 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 stated on their website.
This suspension means Ogunsemilore is barred from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any Olympic activities during the Paris 2024 Games. She had been scheduled to face Taiwan’s Wu Shih Yi in a round of 16 bout on Tuesday.
The ITA noted that Ogunsemilore has the right to challenge the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division and can request an analysis of her B-sample.
This development further depletes Nigeria’s boxing team, leaving only Adam Olaore as the sole medal hopeful for the nation. Dolapo Omole, the third Nigerian boxer who qualified for the Olympics, also had to withdraw days before the Games due to injury.
Olaore will face Aibeck Oralbay of Kazakhstan on Sunday (today) at 10:48 am in the first preliminary round as he begins his quest for medals.
Boxing has historically been one of Nigeria’s strongest Olympic sports, but the country has seen declining success in recent editions. Nigeria last won a medal in boxing at the Atlanta 96 Olympics.
