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Ferdinand Omanyala recalls how an unintentional doping violation from medical treatment led to a 14-month ban, leaving him devastated.
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has recounted the events leading up to his doping ban and why it was difficult for him to move despite serving his ban diligently.
Ferdinand Omanyala received a 14-month suspension in 2017 after testing positive for the prohibited substance betamethasone, however, he claims not to intentionally have used the substances.
The Commonwealth Games champion revealed that after the World Athletics Relays in 2017, he started having issues with his leg during training and at some point, could not even walk or train, things had gotten out of hand.
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Being new in the sport, Ferdinand Omanyala just went to a nearby hospital to seek medical attention but little did he know that such a move would land him in trouble. The Kenyan sprinting ace, however, revealed that they cautioned the doctor not to give him medication that contained banned substances.
“Later that season, I had a stumbling block that cost my years in athletics. Just before the national trials, we were training at the Nyayo National Stadium. As we were doing block starts, I felt a very painful thing on my back. I couldn’t train or walk, so we went to the hospital,” Ferdinand Omanyala told Roll and Take Productions.
“In the hospital, we told the doctor about my situation and by the time we got there, my leg was numb and I couldn’t even feel anything. The doctor said, ‘I understand this is a nerve problem and there is no need for an X-ray or MRI and the only thing I will do is give you an injection.’
“She injected me with Diprofos on one hand and Tramadol on the other and I went back to the hostel and everything was okay. The side effect of the medication was I lost a lot of energy but I still competed.”
After a week, he was doing well and went on to compete at the World University Games in Taiwan, an outing that went on successfully. Omanyala did not have any doubts since he had been tested severally before and had not done anything wrong, according to him.
However, as he was spending time with his musician brothers in a studio after coming back to the country from Taiwan, Ferdinand Omanyala received a call from an anti-doping official who gave him the shattering news.
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Such information leaves you numb and it was no different for Ferdinand Omanyala who would later go and pick up his letter and find out that it was the medicine administered to him that cost him.
“I ran in the relay and was tested and I never took it so seriously since the doctor said it was okay. We went to the World University Games in Taiwan and then came back. I remember that day till today and I was in the studio with my brothers, who are musicians and then I got a call from one of the anti-doping officials who told me I had doped and was to go for my letter on Monday,” Omanyala added.
“Everything crumbled because I couldn’t imagine what was happening and then I went for the letter and realised that it was the doctor who gave me medication that contained banned substances.”
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The court rooms became Omanyala’s new home as he wanted to fight for justice but things never worked out in his favour as he was forced to be out of the sport for 14 months.
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