'I didn’t touch her'- Nigerian athlete Emmanuel Ineh battling rape demons details his ordeal in US

Nigerian long and triple jumper Emmanuel Ineh Oritsemeyiwa discusses his legal battles in the U.S. and efforts to clear his name.

Nigerian long and triple jumper Emmanuel Ineh Oritsemeyiwa has faced a harrowing journey that has spanned continents and legal battles.

Once a promising athlete with a silver medal from the 2018 Junior Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oritsemeyiwa's life took a drastic turn following serious allegations during his stay in the United States.

The young athlete's troubles began when he was accused of rape in Alabama, an allegation he vehemently denies and from which he was acquitted.

"There was this girl I had consensual sex with on our first date. As a student athlete, it was hard to resist girls who practically threw themselves at you," Oritsemeyiwa explained in an interview with Mainland Metro News as quoted by The Guardian.

After deciding he did not want a relationship and cutting ties, the woman later accused him of rape. The evidence, however, told a different story.

"Luckily for me, the security cameras showed we weren’t in close contact. The rape kit came out negative. The medical examination done on her on the day of the so-called rape showed she didn’t have any bruises, tears or scratches. No evidence of force," Oritsemeyiwa recounted.

"The case got dismissed because there was no substantial evidence to even formally charge me, let alone indicting me. I was trying to take back my plea, but the FBI were trying to be dirty, so, they started digging for things that weren’t there in the rape case and tried to paint me bad in the eyes of the judge so that she wouldn’t let me take back my plea."

Oritsemeyiwa was also embroiled in wire fraud accusations alongside two other Nigerian athletes and a Zimbabwean.

He clarified his involvement, or lack thereof, explaining the complexities of the financial transactions that were misconstrued by authorities.

“It was the Feds who were looking for all things to incriminate me. Sending money in and out of a country is not a crime,” he added.

The athlete's time in detention was a dark period, he recalls, spending six months in Tuscaloosa County jail until the rape case was dismissed.

The subsequent transfer to a federal facility in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, marked the continuation of his prolonged legal struggle.

“I lost everything, so, I couldn’t come out of jail because I didn’t have anywhere to go. I opted to remain in detention because I had lost my property and wife,” he added.

The resolution of the wire fraud case brought some relief but not enough to clear his tarnished image.

Oritsemeyiwa was given probation, acknowledged by the judge as the least culpable in the case.

Yet, the label of a felony, which he feels is unjust, remains a barrier to resuming his athletic career and personal growth.

“I was told by my own friend that I was selling cars; not knowing I was sending money back home on behalf of people who defrauded other people here in the USA,” he explained.

At 23, Oritsemeyiwa's future still holds potential, but the scars of his past continue to hinder his progress.

“I’m thinking of reopening the money laundering case. But for now, I want to clear my name of the rape case because it has tarnished my image and defamed my character,” he added.

The road ahead is fraught with challenges, but Oritsemeyiwa remains determined to reclaim his life and career.

With plans to reach out to coaches and possibly move to Europe for training, his goal is to leave behind the shadows of his past.

“I’m very keen to clear my name and continue athletics. I can’t talk to coaches or leave to join clubs in Europe because of this bad image,” he lamented.

“I just need my life back. I was supposed to graduate before my scholarship got taken because of the case. And I was going to do my master’s as well, but it all ended due to this issue."