Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru has made a shocking revelation, sharing that he attempted to take his own life four times following a tumultuous period in his career.
Oduduru, who holds the Nigerian national record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 19.73 seconds, was handed a six-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in October 2023 for breaching anti-doping rules.
The AIU’s decision was based on Oduduru’s possession of prohibited substances and attempted use of a prohibited substance, with an additional two years added to his ban due to “aggravating circumstances”.
He was also ordered to pay $3,000 to World Athletics for expenses related to the case.
Oduduru has been quiet about the issue until now, citing struggles with his mental health. In a Facebook post, he expressed gratitude to his fans for their support and announced plans to share his side of the story through interviews and social media.
He wrote: “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. I have been quiet all this time due to my mental health.
“I attempted suicide 4 times, just wanted to end everything, because all this things that happened is still a shock to me. After all the years of sacrifice.
“I will be granting interviews and I am working on coming life on my Instagram to tell my side of what happened.”
