Nigeria’s track and field community has been dealt another heavy blow following the announcement that quarter miler, Imaobong Nse Uko, has been banned for two years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) over a doping violation.
Anti-doping offences include doping and non-doping violations. While the former involves taking banned substances, the latter includes offences around whereabouts failures and other infractions outside of taking banned substances.
Although Imaobong’s offence is yet to be officially revealed, the AIU has confirmed her period of ineligibility will run until 23 July 2026, and all results recorded from the date of the infraction have been officially disqualified.
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Imaobong became famous after winning three gold medals at the 2021 World U20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
She won the 400m, the women’s 4x400m relay, and the mixed 4x400m relay, becoming a rising star and a major hope for Nigeria’s future in athletics.
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Now, her suspension is a major blow, not just to her career but also to Nigerian athletics, which has struggled with multiple anti-doping violations in recent years.
In total, the AIU banned 19 athletes in June 2025 from different countries, including Kenya, India, France, Turkey, and the Netherlands.
Most were suspended for using banned substances or not following drug-testing rules.
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Nigeria’s doping problem grows
Imaobong is not the first Nigerian athlete to be banned by the AIU in 2025.
Earlier this year, Goodness Iredia, a long and triple jumper, was banned for three years.
He tested positive for Metenolone, a banned steroid, during a competition in the United States on 31 January.
He admitted to breaking the rules and accepted the ban, which started on 26 February and will last until February 2028.
These recent bans follow other high-profile cases.
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Nigeria’s top sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, was banned for 11 years in 2022 after she tested positive for several banned substances and failed to cooperate with investigators.
Another sprinter, Divine Oduduru, was also banned for six years in a case connected to Okagbare’s, even though the former NCAA champion has continually insisted the AIU unjustly punished him.
With the growing pattern of Nigerian athletes being banned for doping and non-doping violations, the need for better education, stronger testing, and more support to help athletes stay clean and avoid doping cannot be overemphasised.
What’s next for Imaobong?
Imaobong Nse Uko is still young, and her career may not be over. But coming back from a doping ban is never easy. She will have to prove herself again, not just on the track, but in earning back the trust of fans, teammates, and officials.
Her story is also a warning to other young athletes: talent alone is not enough. Staying clean and following the rules is just as important.
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