The head coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Seigha Porbeni, says the quest for stardom without thorough training leads athletes to indulge in doping, a claim he made on Saturday. Porbeni’s remarks came after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) suspended Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru for anti‑doping violations, a sanction that could result in a six‑year ban. In a press statement on Thursday, the AIU confirmed that Oduduru had been notified of two potential anti‑doping rule violations and that it was seeking the six‑year suspension.
Porbeni explained that many Nigerian athletes turn to prohibited substances out of desperation to improve their circumstances. “The problem with our athletes is that, coming from very poor backgrounds and low‑incentive zones, everyone wants to move to a higher incentive zone and a better living condition. Desperation sets in, and athletes are tempted to take banned substances without knowing the consequences,” he said. He added that, because of the substance found in Oduduru’s system, the athlete will be barred from competition for six years.
Despite the Athletics Federation’s efforts to educate athletes, Porbeni noted that some still choose to use drugs. “Every competition we attend, we hold seminars on drugs and their effects. Even at the last National Sports Festival in Asaba, we held a conference and made it compulsory for all our national athletes. These athletes know the risks, but they believe they will not be caught,” he said.
Since competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 26‑year‑old African Games silver medallist has been off the radar. Oduduru’s case adds to a string of recent doping incidents in Nigerian athletics. In September 2022, the AIU provisionally suspended female sprinter Grace Nwokocha over suspected doping, and young high jumper David Aya failed a drug test at the 2022 World Athletics Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Comments are closed for this story.