CENTUS NWEZE REPORTING
Nigerian Athlete and three-time African Championship medallist, Divine Oduduru, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for possession and use of a banned substance after being named as the second athlete connected to disgraced therapist, Brian Lira, after compatriot Blessing Okagbare.
Divine has been linked to a Texas-based “naturopathic” therapist, based on information into a criminal charge against Lira.
“Athlete 1” in this case was found to be a sprint and long jump world medallist Blessing Okagbare, who has been given a 10-year ban.
Since then, Oduduru has been recognized as “Athlete 2”.
Oduduru faces one count charge of possession and one related to the use of undisclosed prohibited substances, according to the AIU, after being identified through text messages with Okagbare, which were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, allowed by the Rodchenkov Act.
His suspension is related to Lira’s criminal charge from January 2022 after Okagbare was provisionally suspended at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, ruling her out of the semi-finals of the women’s 100 metres after winning the heat.
Lira was charged under the Rodchenkov Act in the United States – which allows criminal charges to be brought against those found to have committed anti-doping rule violations – and faces up to 10 years in prison.
He communicated with the Olympians through encrypted messaging, supplying them with performance-enhancing drugs.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Oduduru was disqualified in the heats of the men’s 100m for a false start, before narrowly missing the final of the men’s 200m.
