At least eight athletes are set to be banned for doping violations at the 22nd National Sports Festival, Gateway Games 2024, currently ongoing in Ogun State.
The event is increasingly being marred by a sweeping anti-doping crackdown as Nigerian sports authorities double down on their commitment to promoting fair play.
The Main Organising Committee Chairman and Director General of the National Sports Commission,, Bukola Olopade, on Tuesday, disclosed that eight more athletes are being expelled from the festival, raising the total number of doping-related disqualifications to 14.
These athletes will be barred not just from participation but also from standing a chance of winning any medals.
The announcement was made during a media briefing at the festival’s Media Centre in Abeokuta, just 24 hours after six competitors were earlier disqualified for failing doping controls.
“Enough of dirty sports” — Olopade leads anti-doping charge
In a strongly worded statement, Mr Olopade reaffirmed the NSC’s commitment to rooting out drug abuse in Nigerian sports, revealing that the newly flagged athletes had already been declared ineligible before the festival commenced.
“Out of the 10,000 registered athletes, we have discovered eight more, and we will name and shame the states. Enough of dirty sports in Nigeria, we have to get it right,” Mr Olopade stated.
He also revealed that the NSC had warned states months in advance about the flagged athletes, yet some still proceeded to include them in their team lists.
“We have evidence to show that months ago, we informed the states of their athletes with doping issues,” he added.
“The names on that list; we are going to impose fines on the states that brought them, because it is high time we stopped messing about with the organised systems of the country.”
“All the names were extracted from the registration list by the states. So if they were not coming with that, why did they register them?”
States protest, but NSC stays firm
While some states have denied including the disqualified athletes in their official contingents, the NSC remains adamant that the act of registering athletes previously flagged for doping, regardless of their travel status, is a clear violation of fair play principles.
Olopade dismissed such claims as insincere and maintained that accountability lies with the states that submitted those registrations.
Notable names among the first disqualifications
Two prominent Nigerian boxers are among those already disqualified:
Cynthia Ogunsemilore, who won bronze at the Commonwealth Games and gold at the African Games, tested positive for furosemide, a banned diuretic, during an out-of-competition test ahead of her expected appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Dolapo Omole, also a boxer, received a doping suspension and was subsequently removed from the festival roster.
Both athletes were registered under Bayelsa State in kickboxing, raising concerns about cross-discipline registration practices — a development the NSC says is under scrutiny.
Here’s the full list of the initial six disqualified athletes:
Cynthia Ogunsemilore – Bayelsa (Kickboxing)
Dolapo Omole – Bayelsa (Kickboxing)
Marcus Okon – Akwa Ibom (Para Athletics)
Ayabeke Opeyemi – Bayelsa (Gymnastics)
Kareem Shukurat – Lagos (Kickboxing)
Animashaun Sofia – Lagos (Para Powerlifting)
With eight more names expected to be made public soon, the doping sweep could significantly alter team rankings and medal tallies as the games progress.
Athletes serving doping bans are prohibited from any form of participation, and the NSC has emphasized its determination to ensure full compliance.
A new era of accountability?
By imposing financial sanctions and naming the responsible states and athletes, the NSC is setting what could be a new benchmark in anti-doping enforcement in Nigeria.
As Gateway Games 2024 unfolds, the true test will be whether this bold stance marks a lasting shift toward integrity and transparency in Nigerian sports.