Former Texas Tech star Divine Oduduru banned for 6 years
Oduduru who led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA title after a ton of illegal substances were found in his apartment
By Robert JohnsonToday, former Texas Tech star Divine Oduduru was banned for six-years by the AIU. Oduduru is best known for leading Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor track and field team title by running 9.86/19.73 to win the 2019 NCAA 100m and 200m titles.
You can read the full decision here but friend of LetsRun.com Cathal Dennehy has summarized some of the key evidence against him.
Details of what Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru were caught with, following the latter's six-year doping ban. https://t.co/yCXmV2lUhg pic.twitter.com/3LHS1go7j0
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) October 12, 2023
Additionally, the AIU issued a press release about Oduduru’s ban. USADA has also issued a press release about Oduduru’s ban as “the case arose out of the criminal investigation into Eric Lira who earlier this year became the first person to plead guilty under the US Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act to providing performance enhancement drugs to Olympic athletes in advance of the Tokyo Olympic Games.” The USADA press release appears below.
Statement from USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart on Latest Case Under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act
Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 12, 2023) – Today’s announcement regarding the six-year sanction of Divine Oduduru under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) is another example of how the act is driving accountability in sport by exposing networks of conspirators working against clean athletes.
“Justice is once again being served in international sport thanks to the scope of RADA and the commitment of principled organizations like the Athletics Integrity Unit to seek the truth,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “We are honored to support all clean athletes through the act, and this is another win for those who value fair sport.”
A panel of independent arbitrators determined that Oduduru committed anti-doping rule violations that warranted a four-year suspension and concluded that another two years were appropriate for aggravating circumstances due to the athlete’s attempted use of multiple prohibited substances ahead of World Athletics’ competitions and the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The case arose out of the criminal investigation into Eric Lira, who was the first person to plead guilty under RADA for providing prohibited substances to Olympic athletes, including Oduduru, ahead of the Tokyo Games. Without RADA, Lira, who positioned himself as a doctor to athletes, likely would have escaped consequence for his conspiracy to defraud the Tokyo Games because he did not fall under any sport anti-doping rules.
RADA requires the sharing of information between law enforcement and USADA, and that collaboration has led to numerous cases and anti-doping rule violations, including the decision against Sabina Allen and the decision against Blessing Okagbare that prevented her from defrauding the Tokyo Games. In the case of Oduduru and Okagbare, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) brought the anti-doping cases and worked closely with USADA to successfully investigate and compile evidence. The ongoing collaboration between anti-doping organizations, law enforcement, and other federal agencies will continue to hold those accountable who conspire against the rules to rob clean athletes and defraud sport.
RADA was signed into law following the unprecedented state-sponsored doping fraud perpetrated by the Russian state and sport system on innocent athletes and fans across the globe.
About USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency)
USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping programs for all Olympic, Paralympic, and Professional Fighters League (PFL) athletes. USADA is an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to stand with athletes to champion their right to clean sport, inspire true and healthy sport, and promote the integrity of sport.
