AIU: Why Oduduru was slammed a six year ban instead of four

The Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, has revealed why Nigeria sprinter, Divine Oduduru was slammed a six year ban for committing two anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) of possession of prohibited substances and the attempted use of a prohibited substance or method.

A three-member disciplinary tribunal also ordered the Nigerian to pay World Athletics US$3000 towards its expenses regarding the case.

The panel found Oduduru guilty of Possession of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method under Rule 2.6 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules (ADR)
and of Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method (ADR 2.2), together treated as a single first violation.

The AIU says Oduduru received a mandatory four year ban for the combined violation, with an additional two years for aggravating circumstances after the panel determined there was justification for increasing the period of ineligibility, due to the athlete having multiple nonspecified prohibited substances which he attempted to use in the lead-up to World Athletics’ competitions and the Tokyo Olympic Games (summer 2021).

‘To procure those substances, Oduduru engaged into a scheme with his teammate, Blessing Okagbare who in her turn was procuring those substances on his behalf from a person who was illegally bringing them to US in order to distribute among athletes with the aim to improve their sport performance, thus influencing unfairly the outcome of athletic competitions, including the major ones,’ wrote the AIU on its website.