Olympics
BREAKING! CAS confirms suspension on Nigerian Olympian, Ogunsemilore

The Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (the CAS ADD) has today, Tuesday confirmed the provisional suspensions imposed on Nigerian woman boxer, Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore as well as Sajjad Ghanim Sehen of Iraq who was to feature in judo.
Acccording to a statement just released by CAS and obtained by Sports Village Square in France, Ms Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilor (the Athlete) was registered to take part in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the Women’s Boxing 60 kg category.
“On 25 July 2024 the Athlete was subject to an out-of-competition doping control for which an AAF was reported for the presence of Furosemide.
“Such substance is prohibited by WADA at all times and is classified as a “Specified Substance” under S.5 Diuretics and Masking Agents of the 2024 WADA Prohibited List.”
The Single Judge of the CAS ADD held a hearing with the parties at 22:30 (CET) on 28 July 2024 and issued his decision later the same day, at 23:55 (CET), confirming the provisional suspension imposed by the IOC on Ms Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilor on 27 July 2024 and continuing through the duration of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

CAS statement on Ogusemilore
Similarly, Sajjad Ghanim Sehen Sehen (the Athlete) was registered to represent the National Olympic Committee of Iraq (NOC Iraq) in judo at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. On 23 July 2024, the Athlete was subject to an out-of-competition doping control for which an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) was reported for the presence of two prohibited substances ((i) metandienone metabolite 17b-hydroxymethyl,17a-methyl-18-norandrost1,4,13-trien-3-one and (ii) boldenone and its metabolite 5b-androst-1-en-17b-ol-3-one). Such substances are listed as “Non-Specified Substances” under S1.1 Anabolic Androgenic Steroids of the 2024
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
On 26 July 2024, the International Testing Agency (ITA), on behalf of International Olympic Committee (IOC), notified the Athlete of the AAF and imposed a mandatory provisional suspension pursuant to Article 7.6.1 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), with immediate effect. Through the AAF notification, the Athlete was informed of the potential consequences of the AAF and his procedural rights, including the right to request the B-sample counter-analysis, a provisional hearing, or an expedited final hearing. On 26 July 2024 the NOC Iraq confirmed to the ITA that the Athlete requested a provisional hearing to challenge the provisional suspension. Consequently, the ITA referred the matter to the CAS ADD as per Article 7.6.1 of the IOC ADR.
The Single Judge of the CAS ADD held a hearing with the parties at 11:00 (CET) on 28 July 2024 and issued her decision later the same day, at 20:00 (CET), confirming the provisional suspension imposed by the IOC on Mr Sajjad Ghanim Sehen Sehen on 26 July 2024.
Olympics
Nigeria’s Olympic Foes Arrive After Incredible 30-0 Aggregate Rout of Sudan

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.
Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.
The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.
Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.
The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.
For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.
Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.
While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
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Olympics
Super Falcons Draw Bye, Set to Face South Sudan or Comoros in LA 2028 Olympic Qualifiers

By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.

The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.

Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
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Olympics
Nigeria’s Road to Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games Begins with CAF Draw in Cairo

Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.
The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.
Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.
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