Ejowvokoghene Divine Oduduru, a Nigerian sprinter specializing in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, has publicly disclosed that he has previously attempted to take his own life on four occasions.
Oduduru, who holds personal best performances of 9.86 seconds in the 100 meters and 19.73 seconds in the 200 meters—the latter being a national record for Nigeria—made this revelation in a post on his Facebook page.
In October 2023, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) established a disciplinary tribunal that imposed a six-year ban on Divine Oduduru for violations of two anti-doping regulations.
The AIU's announcement indicated that he received a four-year suspension for the possession and attempted use of prohibited substances, along with an additional two-year suspension for “aggravating circumstances.” Furthermore, he was required to pay $3,000 to World Athletics to cover the expenses related to the proceedings.
In his recent Facebook post, Oduduru expressed that he had remained silent due to concerns regarding his mental health and extended his gratitude to his supporters who have supported him throughout his athletic career.
He also shared that he is in the process of preparing for a return to competition and intends to participate in interviews to share his perspective regarding the situation.
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."