Nigeria-born Qatari sprinter Femi Ogunode has opened up on his doping ban ordeal and his historic feat of becoming the first Asian athlete to run sub-10sec in the 100m dash at the Asian Games.
Ogunode narrated how he was set up and wrongfully accused of shattering a 59-year Asia record, lowering the Asian mark by 0.06 secs and finishing nearly two-tenths ahead of China’s Su Bingtian.
Qatar’s Ogunode, who returned from a two-year ban for using clenbuterol, a prohibited substance under the category of anabolic agents on the WADA prohibited list because it promotes muscle growth through anabolic properties.
The Ondo-born athlete, a day after serving his two-year ban, ran for the first time in the history of Asian Games, since its inception in 1951, 9.93 in the 100m finals, the first sub-10sec with his resilience paying off in phenomenal fashion.
“I had a feeling that I would break the Asian record, and I promise I will win more gold medals here,” Ogunode said after his amazing feat.
In an exclusive interview at the Persecondnews corporate headquarters in Abuja, Ogunde said: “My doping case was a set up; that’s why I won the case. I know they slipped something into my drink. When I saw the doping results, I told myself no way.
“My backroom staff were solidly behind me because they know I didn’t do anything. I told myself that when I come back, they will know I was clean.”
On how he feels representing Qatar and not his country, Nigeria, Ogunode recalled how he was dropped from the Team Nigeria for Algiers 2007 without any explanation.
“I was rejected twice by Nigeria. I was supposed to be on the flight to Algiers 2007 because I was the second fastest young athlete at that time, but I was dropped without any explanation,” he told Persecondnews.
Ogunode also stated that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) dropped him from the squad for Poland due to political issues.
Here is the full interview with Ogunode:
PSN: How do you feel about representing Qatar as Nigerian and not Nigeria?
Ogunode: Great. That is one of the best decisions I know I have taken because twice I was rejected by Nigeria. I was supposed to be on the flight to Algiers 2007 because I was the second fastest young athlete at that time, but I was dropped without any explanation.
A year later, I qualified for the biennial IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, as the best age-group sprinter in Nigeria. Subsequently, I also made it to the senior side for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
But due to politics within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), they dropped me from the squad for Poland, negotiating with me by saying I would get my chance in China.
I agreed, as I always wanted to compete in the Olympics. But just two weeks prior to the games, I found out I was out of the team. I felt powerless against the AFN’s internal games. In all of these, my dad always told me to believe in myself and that time will come for the world to recognize my efforts.
When the opportunity to represent Qatar presented itself, I seized it and told myself, ‘Now this is my time.’
I broke the record when I ran the 9.93 at the Asian Games. The President came to the airport to welcome us back to Qatar and thanked us for our efforts.
PSN: What is the welfare package for athletes of your status in Qatar?
Ogunode: It’s hard to say, but we got $500,000 for every championship I competed in, which motivated us to do better and achieve more for the country.And not just the welfare; they also budgeted a whole lot of money for the development of talent and grooming of the next generation.
The system we have currently doesn’t favour grooming talents for international stardom. How do you expect athletes who drink garri after training with no hope of good food and a balanced nutritional schedule to perform or give you the best?
We are not there yet, but we can get there if we start the right thing today. That’s why I started my Femi Seun Ogunode Foundation to nurture talents from the grassroots and expose them to the international stage. This initiative, which we started in 2016, has helped over 500 Nigerians with tremendous testimonies.
PSN: Have you reached out to the Minister of Sports Development to see how you can synergize and strategize with the government?
Ogunode: Yes, I have attempted to contact him multiple times through his PA, but I have received no response. I am hesitant to pursue this further due to my familiarity with the Niger system. Everything I have done for my foundation has been from my pocket, and I am proud of it. No support from anywhere. However, my greatest joy comes from witnessing the hope and belief I instill in young Nigerians, encouraging them to believe in their own abilities that if I can, they can.
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