Team Nigeria’s lightweight boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics women’s tournament after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Testing Agency (ITA) announced on Saturday.
Ogunsemilore, who was scheduled to compete on Monday, tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited list. The ITA confirmed that she has been provisionally suspended and is barred from participating in any Olympic activities, including competing, training, and coaching.
“The athlete has the right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division,” the ITA stated.
This incident follows the suspension of Nigerian athlete Blessing Okagbare, who was also barred from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for a doping violation.
Ogunsemilore’s expulsion marks another setback for Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics, raising concerns over doping practices within the country’s athletic programs.
