Authorities seek 6-year doping ban for former Tech star
Anti-doping authorities are seeking a six-year ban against four-time NCAA champion Divine Oduduru of Nigeria, whose alleged cheating was uncovered in the first case brought by U.S. authorities under a sweeping law designed to combat widespread doping schemes across the globe.
The Athletics Integrity Unit, which oversees anti-doping in global track, announced Thursday that the 26-year-old sprinter who ran for Texas Tech has been provisionally suspended for possession and use or attempted use of multiple prohibited substances.
Oduduru did not immediately respond to messages left on his social media accounts by The Associated Press.
The AIU said Oduduru was the sprinter labeled “Athlete 2” in a complaint against "naturopathic" therapist Eric Lira, who is alleged to have supplied performance-enhancing drugs to athletes before the Summer Olympics in 2021. “Athlete 1” has already been identified as Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare, who is serving an 11-year ban. Okagbare starred collegiately at Texas-El Paso, but trained in recent years at Texas Tech, where she earned a master's degree.
Federal investigators used hundreds of texts between Okagbare, Lira and others as evidence to charge the therapist, who was based in El Paso. They said Lira distributed drugs, including human growth hormone and the blood-building hormone erythropoietin “for the purpose of corrupting” the Tokyo Olympics.
They charged Lira under the Rodchenkov Act, a law named after Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Moscow anti-doping lab director who blew the whistle on Russia's scheme to help athletes get away with cheating in advance of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.
The Rodchenkov Act is not designed to go after individual athletes, but evidence collected in wider probes can then be used by anti-doping authorities to seek out violations.
Oduduru swept the 100 and 200-meter sprints at NCAA championships in 2019. He won the 200 meters in 2018 and the 200 at NCAA indoor championships the same year. He also won a number of titles in African youth competitions. He has competed at the last two Summer Olympics but failed to make a final.
Men's golf
WAIMEA, Hawaii — Ludvig Aberg routed his opponent and Calum Scott and John Wall also were victorious, helping No. 3 Texas Tech edge No. 4 North Carolina on Friday in the hastily arranged Big 12/ACC Showdown match play.
The two teams finished 3-3-0 and Tech won on hole differential by virtue of taking more holes overall, a Tech spokesman said. Aberg beat David Ford 7 & 6; Scott put away Ryan Burnett 5 & 3; and Wall outlasted Nanu Mohan 2-up.
For UNC, Dylan Menante beat Baard Skogen 5 & 4; Kenan Poole edged Matthew Comegys 1-up; and Peter Fountain outlasted Tyran Snyders 1-up in 19 holes.
No. 18 Texas beat No. 10 Georgia Tech 4-1-1 in the other match.
The event took place at Wapuna Golf Course, where 20 teams had convened this week for the Amer Ari Invitational. The tournament was canceled after high winds led to early stoppages in play on both Wednesday and Thursday.
Softball
ARLINGTON — Kimber Cortemelia delivered a tiebreaking single in the sixth inning to help host UT-Arlington edge Texas Tech 4-3 on Friday in the Maverick Invitational.
Cortemelia's two-out base hit to right scored Westbrook, who walked leading off the inning.
Tech had tied the score 3-3 in the top of the inning oni a two-run homer from Arriana Villa. Villa's shot to left-center followed a leadoff walk by Ellie Bailey. Villa drove in the Red Raiders' other run with a first-inning single and finished 3 for 4.
Olivia Rains (0-1), the third of four Tech pitchers, took the loss.
Friday was the first day of the season for Tech, and new coach Craig Snyder won his debut when the Red Raiders beat Tulsa 8-3. Bailey had five RBI with a two-run single and a three-run homer.
On Saturday, Tech faces Tulsa (0-1) at noon and UTA (1-0) at 6 p.m. The Red Raiders close the event with a game against Tulsa at 10 a.m. Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Tech sports roundup: Authorities seek 6-year doping ban for ex-Red Raiders star
