Enyimba captain Austin Oladapo has been banned from every football related activities for one year by Africa’s football governing body CAF for failing a routine drug test, Owosports.com.ng reports.
Oladapo had his sample taken in the CAF Confederations cup game between Enyimba FC versus Pyramids
FC (Egypt) on the 16th of May 2021.
According to a statement from CAF, “The result of the player Oladapo Augustine
urine test in Bottle “A” which was collected
in match N °153 between Pyramids FC
(Egypt) Vs Enyimba FC (Nigeria), played on
16th of May 2021 in the frame of Total CAF
Confederation Cup 2020/2021 was
considered positive due to the presence of a prohibited substances “Prednisolone/
Prednisone”.
“On 18th June 2021, Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) was informed of the result
and asked the player to indicate if he wishes
to request the analysis of sample “B”.
On 22nd June, CAF received the reply of
Enyimba club through NFF indicating that the
player has elected to not request the analysis
of the ‘B’ sample.
The club had indicated that any trace of the prohibited substance might have resulted from the prescribed medication the player was on during the same period, and they have communicated the club’s doctor’s report detailing the medications that were prescribed”,
The player Oladapo Augustine was
provisionally suspended from all football
activities until a final decision is rendered by CAF Disciplinary Board.
The player was represented during CAF
Disciplinary Board hearing held on 14th July 2021 by the club’s physician as well as the club’s lawyer.
The Board indicated to the representatives
that the player never applied for a therapeutic use exemption and that he is in charge of the substances that enter his body.
The Team physician has highlighted the clean
record of the player and that he had no
intention for any enhancing his performance
by consuming these medications.
CAF disciplinary board however held on their decision to suspend
the player Augustine Oladapo from all
football related activities for a period of
twelve (12) months from the date of
notification of the provisional suspension
namely 4th July 2021.