Grace Nwokocha pleads for Nigerians’ support, not more problems

Nigeria’s Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha reacts prior to competing in the women’s 100m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

• ‘Nobody has checked on me since August 2022’

U.S.-based Nigerian sprinter, Grace Nwokocha, has begged Nigerian journalists not to complicate her current situation. Nwokocha was, on Friday, officially stripped of her medal and the times she ran in three races she competed in at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last August.

Nigeria was also stripped of the 4×100 metres’ relay gold medal she won alongside Tobi Amusan, Rosemary Chukwuma and Favour Ofili at the Games.     An online platform operated by a Nigerian journalist had claimed that Nwokocha blamed one of her Nigerian teammates for her travails in Birmingham. But the sprinter told The Guardian, yesterday, that she did not speak with anyone.     “Nobody has checked on me since August 2022 till date to know if I am still alive or dead,” Nwokocha said in a message to The Guardian. “Not even a single soul, I know you’re showing concern. I don’t want to lose my life to these strange circumstances.

“I really do not know why and where this is coming from. God will always fight for the innocent ones. That is all I can say,” she said. Debunking the report by the online platform, Nwokocha said: “I wouldn’t want to get involved with anything seen on social media concerning this whole issue for the sake of my life and mental health. People should allow me to rest.”   According to the online report, Nwokocha insists she did not knowingly ingest performance-enhancing substances and instead, accused one of her teammates of foul play at the Commonwealth Games.   The online report added: “Grace Nwokocha recalls seeing the other athlete using her