Sports

AIU slams Nigerian athlete, Grace Nwokocha with three-year ban for doping

Published

1 year ago

October 27, 2023

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned another Nigerian athlete, Grace Nwokocha for three years after she failed a drug test at the Birmingham 2022 World Championships.

The World Athletics Federation also stripped Nigeria of the
Commonwealth Games relay gold medal which Nwokocha was a part of.

In a statement announcing the ban on Friday, the AIU said the 100m and 200m athlete was banned for the “Presence/Use of Prohibited Substances Ostarine and Ligandrol.”

The statement said the Nigerian sprinter “has been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit for three years after being found guilty of a doping violation during Birmingham 2022.”

It explained that Nwokocha’s ban was a result of the “positive InCompetition sample returned during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where the Commonwealth Games Federation (“CGF”) in accordance with the Anti-Doping Rules for the 2022 Commonwealth Games (the “CGF ADR”), found an Adverse Analytical Finding for Ostarine and Dihydroxy-LGD4033 (a Metabolite of Ligandrol) which are Non-Specified substances, prohibited at all times.”

“Following this, her results in the 100m on 3 August 2022 and in the 200m on 4 August 2022 have been disqualified, together with the forfeiture of any medals, diplomas, titles, points, and prizes.

“Consequently, Nigeria’s result in the women’s 4x100m relay in which Nwokocha anchored them to the gold medal in an African Record of 42.05s is nullified, and silver medal-winning Great Britain now upgraded to gold,” the statement said.

In her defence during a hearing before the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Court in May, Nwokocha had said the positive test had been caused by cross-contamination, claiming that an unnamed team-mate had drank from her bottle of Lucozade during training at the Athletes Village.

This defence was rejected with the CGF Court finding her guilty of an anti-doping rule violation, and disqualifying her individual and team results at Birmingham 2022.

However, in July, Nwokocha had acknowledged she had committed anti-doping rule violations and agreed to a three-year suspension with the start of her ban backdated to August 3, 2022, the date the positive sample was collected, and will run through to August 2, 2025.

Related Topics:AIU Ban Doping Featured Grace Nwokocha

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Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)