PARIS, France (AFP) — Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore has been suspended from the Paris Olympics after violating anti-doping regulations, the International Testing Agency (ITA) announced on Saturday.
The ITA reported that Ogunsemilore’s samples tested positive for furosemide, a substance classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as both a diuretic and a masking agent. These samples were collected on Thursday, just one day before the Olympics’ opening ceremony, and the results were confirmed by a WADA-accredited laboratory.
The ITA stated that Ogunsemilore has been provisionally suspended, meaning she is barred from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any Olympic activities until the issue is resolved.
The 22-year-old boxer, who was set to make her Olympic debut in the under-60kg category on Monday, has the right to challenge the suspension through an arbitration tribunal and can request an analysis of her B sample.
Ogunsemilore’s suspension adds to a list of recent doping issues at the games. On Friday, the ITA also announced the suspension of Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen for testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid, while Dominican Republic volleyball player Lisbel Eve Mejia was found to have used furosemide.
