Ese Brume, Ogazi, Enekwechi Out as AIU Retains Amusan, Ezekiel, Three Others On Its Testing Pool
Nigeria’s athletics is undergoing a generational transition as the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) released its Registered Testing Pool (RTP) for the first quarter of 2026.
The reshuffle has seen several veterans dropped, while one established champion and a cluster of younger talents remain under close watch.
Multiple world medalist Ese Brume, once a fixture in the global top five of the long jump, has slipped to 207th overall, 27th in her event, and third in Africa.
Her exclusion from the RTP underscores a decline many see as the inevitable battle with father time albeit she will be 30 on Tuesday.
She is joined off the list by Ruth Usoro, Samuel Ogazi, Udodi Onwuzurike, Rosemary Chukwuma, and shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi.
Ogazi had impressed on his Olympic debut in 2024 by qualifying and dazzling in the 400m final, while Onwuzurike’s emergence was marked by a blistering 19.76 on his way to NCAA 200m glory in 2023, two years after emerging World U20 champion.
Enekwechi’s omission is particularly puzzling after he hit the 22‑metre mark (22.10m) for the first time last year and rose to fifth at the World Championships in Tokyo.
Retained in the pool is world record holder and reigning world silver medalist Tobi Amusan, who remains Nigeria’s most established global star.
Alongside her are Ezekiel Nathaniel, the NCAA 400m hurdles champion, World Championships and Diamond League finalist who owns the second fastest African time ever in the event (47.11); Kanyinsola Ajayi, the first Nigerian since 2007 to reach a World Championships 100m final, achieving the feat in Tokyo 2025; and Tima Godbless, the former National Sports Festival double sprint champion who broke 11 seconds with a 10.91 clocking last season.
Favour Ofili, already an accomplished sprinter, also remains on the list but has served notice of switching her allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey, a move that could reshape both her trajectory and Nigeria’s sprint depth.
Athletes on the AIU’s Registered Testing Pool are regarded among the best in the world in their chosen disciplines.
Inclusion is both recognition of excellence and a responsibility, as these athletes must provide daily whereabouts information to the AIU, enabling anti‑doping organizations to conduct out‑of‑competition testing at any time.
The AIU will be primarily responsible for testing the five Nigerians retained, while the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will oversee testing for others who should be on the national pool.
