Falcons’ wages saga, doping bans… 5 low moments for Nigerian sports in 2023

Like every other year in recent memory, 2023 was topsy-turvy for Nigerian sports. The country’s athletes produced incredible, nerve-wracking, eye-raising, jaw-dropping and disappointing moments across several sports. In this article, we will focus on the latter. 

From the Super Falcons’ wages saga to the D’Tigers’ failure to qualify for the 2024 Olympics and the wave of doping scandals in athletics — disappointing moments abound.

Here are five of those deep-sighing moments in Nigerian sports in 2023.

FALCONS’ WAGES SAGA

The preparation of the Super Falcons for the 2023 Women’s Cup was mired in controversy.

It all began when Randy Waldrum, Falcons head coach, complained about the team’s abysmal preparation for the tournament. He also revealed that the NFF owed him seven months’ salary.

The American said some players were also owed “per diem and bonuses” from two years ago.

The situation became messy and led to a war of words between the coach and Ademola Olajire, NFF’s communications director.

During the World Cup, FIFPro, the world players’ union, also tackled the NFF for failing to pay Falcons players their outstanding allowances.

FIFPro also disclosed that it would wade into the pay dispute with the federation.

ODUDURU’S DOPING BAN

In October, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) handed Divine Oduduru, the Nigerian sprinter, a six-year ban for breaching two anti-doping rules.

He had been provisionally suspended in February after he was identified as one of the clients of Eric Lira, a self-acclaimed kinesiologist and naturopathic doctor.

Oduduru was sanctioned, alongside Blessing Okagbare, as a collaborator of Lira.

Lira was accused of providing performance-enhancing drugs to athletes who participated in the Tokyo Olympics.

In 2022, Okagbare was banned for 11 years following an investigation by AIU after she failed an out-of-competition doping test.

In its ruling on Oduduru, AIU said WhatsApp messages between Okagbare and Lira revealed that the former was “soliciting prohibited substances on Oduduru’s behalf”.

The Nigerian got a four-year ban for the possession of prohibited substances and the attempted use of a prohibited substance and an additional two years for “aggravating circumstances”.

He was also ordered to pay $3000 to the World Athletics for its expenses regarding the case.

NWOKOCHA’S DOPING BAN

Another Nigerian athlete was banned over doping violations in October. Grace Nwokocha was given a three-year ban for using prohibited substances.

The athlete had been provisionally suspended in September 2022 after she failed a doping test conducted during the Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham.

Ostarine and Lingadrol were found in her sample A urine collected on August 3, 2022.

Nwokocha was a member of the quartet that won gold for Nigeria in the 4×100 meters race during the 2022 CWG.

In July 2023, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) stripped Nigeria of the medal over Nwokocha’s doping case, which nullified all the results involving her at the competition.

AMUSAN’S DOPING CHARGES

Nigerians were shocked when it was announced that Tobi Amusan had been charged for missing a doping test.

It was only a few weeks to the 2023 World Athletic Championship, where Amusan was expected to defend her women’s 100m hurdles title.

Shortly after, AIU provisionally suspended her over the charges, adding that the former world champion missed “three tests in 12 months”.

The decision interfered with her preparation for the competition, and Amusan was not cleared of the charge until three days before the competition.

She failed to defend her world title in Budapest after she finished sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles final.

A few months later, the 27-year-old redeemed herself and claimed her third consecutive Diamond League title.

In September, AIU announced that it had appealed the decision clearing the Nigerian of anti-doping rules violations.

D’TIGERS FAILURE TO QUALIFY FOR OLYMPICS

D’Tigers were unable to qualify for the basketball event of the upcoming Olympic games.

It is the first time the Nigerian team would miss the Olympics since Beijing 2008.

The team failed to secure a ticket at the FIBA Olympic pre-qualification tournament, which was held in Lagos.