NADC tested Ogunsemilore thrice before the Games began, ministry discloses

The Ministry of Sports Development, yesterday, disclosed that the National Anti-doping Committee (NADC) tested female boxer, Cynthia Ogunsemilore, three times before the commencement of the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games, claiming that in two of the tests the now suspended pugilist tested negative to banned substances.

Ogunsemilore, a lightweight boxer, tested positive for a banned substance, on Saturday, ahead of her opening fight, precisely Furosemide, a diuretic on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list. She has been provisionally suspended from the Olympics pending the final evaluation of her case.

Reacting to the boxer’s suspension from the Olympics, the ministry in a statement said that besides anti-doping education by its podium performance team, “the NADC undertook a series of virtual anti-doping education sessions for all athletes representing the country at the Olympics.

During the anti-doping sessions for athletes, it was made succinct to the athletes that testing was very likely for any of them on their arrival at the Games Village and they should only take medications under strict recommendation of the medical team.”

The statement added: “Ogunsemilore was tested out-of-competition three times this year by the National Anti Doping Committee (NADC), in preparation for the Africa Games and Olympics. The results of her first two tests were negative, a third test was undertaken on July 4, 2024, the results were still being awaited from the Laboratory before Team Nigeria left for the Olympics.

“Furthermore, the substance found in the boxer’s sample at the Olympics has a washout period of a matter of hours, which means the boxer may have taken the medication containing the substance shortly before, or on the