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The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has handed Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru a provisional suspension over the usage of prohibited substances.
AIU introduced the sprinter’s suspension in a press release launched on Thursday.
The physique mentioned Oduduru was recognized as one of many purchasers of Eric Lira, a self-acclaimed kinesiologist and naturopathic physician, who’s presently a plaintiff in a case titled “US’ first Olympic anti-doping expenses”.
The 26-year-old sprinter joins Blessing Okagbare on the checklist of athletes recognized as collaborators with Lira.
Lira was accused of offering performance-enhancing medication to athletes who participated within the Tokyo Olympics.
In 2022, Okagbare was banned for 11 years following an investigation by AIU after she failed an out-of-competition doping take a look at.
Within the assertion, AIU mentioned Oduduru was recognized as a suspect “primarily based on the data within the criticism, together with textual content conversations imaged from Okagbare’s cell phone by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).”
It added that course of has begun handy a six-year ban on the Ughelli-born athlete.
“The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has notified Divine Oduduru of two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) and is looking for a six-year ban in opposition to the Nigerian,” the assertion reads.
“The sprinter has been notified of potential ADRVs for possession (Rule 2.6 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Guidelines; ADR) and/or use or tried use of a number of Prohibited Substances (Rule 2.2 ADR). He has been provisionally suspended instantly.
“These alleged violations stem from an AIU investigation primarily based on info in a legal cost introduced in opposition to US-based “naturopathic” therapist Eric Lira, on 12 January, 2022, by america Division of Justice beneath the Rodchenkov Act.
“Lira is alleged to have provided performance-enhancing medication to athletes earlier than the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video games (delayed till summer time 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The criticism in opposition to Lira offers particular info relating to individuals recognized as ‘Athlete 1’ and ‘Athlete 2’. In February 2022, a sole arbitrator of the AIU Disciplinary Tribunal concluded that they had been “comfortably happy” that ‘Athlete 1’ was Oduduru’s team-mate, Blessing Okagbare, and banned her from the game for ten years, which was elevated to an 11-year ban in June 2022 following additional expenses introduced by the AIU.
“Based mostly on the data within the criticism, together with textual content conversations imaged from Okagbare’s cell phone by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and additional proof obtained from the AIU investigation, the AIU alleges that Oduduru is ‘Athlete 2’ recognized within the criticism.
“As the method is ongoing, the AIU will make no additional touch upon the matter presently.”
Oduduru turns into the second Nigerian sprinter presently suspended by AIU after Grace Nwokocha was additionally penalised for failing a doping take a look at on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games (CWG) in Birmingham.
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