Enyimba of Aba’s captain, Austin Oladapo has issued a strong verbal protest against the recent hammer slammed on him by Confederation of African Football (CAF) for allegedly failing a drugs test, megasportsarena.com reports.
CAF declared that the enterprising midfielder, who is also a member of Nigeria’s home-based national team, popularly known as CHAN Eagles, stressed that he does not even drink or smoke and the only medication he took recently was a pin killer.
Enyimba have already thrown their weight behind Oladapo, following a year’s ban hand him by CAF, after he was adjudged to have tested positive for a prohibited steroid, prednisolone, but The Peoples’ Elephant declared their support for their captain.
While praising he lad for his continued acts of ‘professional,’ Enyimba noted in a statement signed by the club’s chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu, that they will contest the 12 months’ suspension from all football activities handed the player by CAF.
On his part, Oladapo went on to disclose that he has had four similar tests in the past, both with Enyimba and the Eagles, yet they all came out negative, hence his shock on being declared positive this time out.
He stressed that he only took pain-killer as prescribed by his club doctor and added during an interview with brila.net that his club will appeal the CAF ruling and he remains confident that the decision will be overturned at the end of the day.
Oladapo concluded: “It came to me as a shock. I wasn’t expecting this from CAF. I’ve done this dope test four times.
“I did it in the national team at the CHAN, with Enyimba twice and I have always been confident that I will never fail a test.
“I only took a drug prescribed by the club doctor, a pain relief medication, which the club doctor prescribed and he presented the same to CAF.
“I don’t drink or smoke, it’s not my lifestyle. We were given the option of an appeal and the club is on it.”
