Nigerian boxer suspended before fight at the Olympic Games in Paris

Nigerian lightweight boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore has been provisionally suspended ahead of her opening fight at the Paris Olympics after testing positive for a banned substance on Saturday.

The International Anti-Doping Agency said on Saturday that the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist and African Games champion tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list, in an out-of-competition doping test on Thursday.

“The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Olympic Committee Anti-Doping Rules pending the resolution of the matter,” the ITA said on its website.

The ban means that Ogunsemilore will not be allowed to compete, train, coach or participate in any other activities during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

She was supposed to compete in a round of 16 match against Taiwanese Wu Shih Yi on Tuesday.

The ITA stated that Ogunsemilore had the right to appeal the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division and to request an analysis of her B sample.

This development has further diminished the Nigerian boxing team, leaving Adam Olaore as the only medal contender for the nation in the ring.

Dolapo Omole, the third Nigerian to qualify for the Olympic Games in boxing, also had to withdraw his participation a few days before the Games due to injury.

Olaore will face Aibeck Oralbay of Kazakhstan in the first preliminary round on Sunday (today) at 10:48 am and begin his fight for the medals.

Boxing has historically been one of Nigeria’s strongest Olympic sports, but the country has seen a decline in recent editions. Nigeria last won a medal in boxing at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.