Nigerian sprinter, Divine Oduduru has spoken publicly for the first time since receiving a six-year ban from athletics in October 2023.

The ban, imposed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), stemmed from doping violations, including possession and attempted use of prohibited substances.

Oduduru, however, has maintained his innocence and promised to share his side of the story on his Instagram page on Friday.

He also revealed his battle with mental health struggles, including four suicide attempts.

“Thanks to everyone, to my lovely fans who have been supporting me right from the beginning of my career.”

“I know a lot of you have been waiting to hear from me about the issue that happened,” Oduduru wrote on Instagram on Friday.

“I have been quiet all this time due to my mental health.”

“I attempted suicide four times, just wanting to end everything because all these things that happened are still a shock to me.”

“After all these years of sacrifice, I will be granting interviews, and I am working on coming live on Instagram to tell my side of what happened.”

Connection to Blessing Okagbare

Oduduru’s case was linked to that of Nigerian teammate Blessing Okagbare, who received an 11-year ban for doping in 2022.

While Oduduru did not test positive for any banned substances, the AIU stated there was “overwhelming evidence” connecting him to doping violations.

Career Highlights

The 28-year-old sprinter boasts personal bests of 9.86 seconds in the 100m and 19.73 seconds in the 200m.

A two-time Nigerian national champion, Oduduru also claimed four NCAA titles during his time with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.