Enyimba defends captain, Oladapo, after doping ban

Enyimba have come out to defend their captain, Austin Oladapo who has been banned for a year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a doping violation. CAF handed the sanction to Oladapo on Tuesday after he was found to have tested positive for “Prednisolone/Prednisone”,  a banned substance, during a routine test carried out […]

Enyimba have come out to defend their captain, Austin Oladapo who has been banned for a year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a doping violation.

CAF handed the sanction to Oladapo on Tuesday after he was found to have tested positive for “Prednisolone/Prednisone”,  a banned substance, during a routine test carried out on him after Enyimba’s game against Pyramid FC of Egypt.

However, in their reaction yesterday, Enyimba said Oladapo had been on preventive COVID-specific treatment after being diagnosed with malaria and bronchitis.

Chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu added that the prescribed medication may have played a role in the positive test result.

“While we have been given the option to appeal the decision, it is pertinent to first clarify that as a club, we have a strict code of conduct that shows zero tolerance to hard drugs or any banned substance.

“As we already pointed out in our communication to CAF, Oladapo, before the game against Pyramids, had been on preventive covid-specific treatment after being diagnosed with malaria with bronchitis.

“It was indicated in his medical report, which was also attached to our letter to CAF, that ‘some of the treatments given in this regard are steroidal and could reveal prednisolone in his tribe sample test.’

“Although we have not been made aware of the percentage of the substance concentration in his urine, we believe that any trace of it would have resulted from the prescribed medication.