The gold winning team comprises Tobi Amusan, Rosemary Chukwuma, Favour Ofili and Grace Nwokocha.

It was learnt that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria had been notified of the development by the World Anti-Doping Agency, as the confirmation of the B sample is still being awaited.

As a rule, the team would be stripped of the medal and the performance, if the athlete is not exonerated.

AFN president Tonobok Okowa confirmed the report

He said the federation had begun an investigation of the matter and would make its position known.

The letter from the World Anti-Doping Agency just reached the federation today (Friday) and  we are shocked to hear this for the first time. We risk being stripped of the 4x100m Commonwealth Games gold we won in Birmingham,” Okowa told Saturday PUNCH.

“But we will carry out our investigation. Although an athlete is responsible for anything that has to do with doping, this is not a good development for us.”

The AFN boss, however, declined to mention the name of the athlete involved, saying the AFN would make a public statement after concluding its investigation.

“No, I can’t disclose the identity of the athlete now because we need to confirm exactly what happened and conclude on our findings before making a public statement.

“The matter is still being investigated and it’s not yet confirmed. What we got is notification letter, so, that everybody concerned will be ready for their defence, “ AFN head coach Seigha Porbeni added.

This is coming days after young high jumper David Aya also failed a drugs test at last month’s World Athletics Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia.

According to PUMA, the termination of the deal was a result of Nigeria’s athletes’ inability to wear the brand at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In a letter dated Wednesday, August 4, and signed by the company’s director Manuel Edlheimb, PUMA said it was officially notifying the Athletics Federation of Nigeria of its termination of sponsoring and Licensing agreements.

“We are referring to the licensing and sponsoring agreement signed between our company and your federation. As a direct consequence of the recent developments, particularly at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 and pursuant to clauses 9.2 and 7.3 of the Agreement, we hereby terminate the Agreement with immediate effect. PUMA especially declares to be discharged from any or all obligations towards all stakeholders involved and reserves all rights against these entities and individuals”

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria under the leadership of Engr Ibrahim Gusau signed a 4-year contract with PUMA in 2019 and was due to expire in 2022. Part of the contract is that PUMA will supply kits to all age categories to Nigeria’s Athletics team for four years at no cost.

In addition, gold medalists at the Olympic Games will earn $15,000, silver medalists will get 5,000 while a bronze medal will fetch athletes wearing the PUMA apparel at the games for $3000. This means Ese Brume would have gotten an additional $3000 for winning bronze wearing PUMA kit if the deal was still on.

The termination of the deal comes amidst an alleged leadership tussle between the Ibrahim Gusau-led AFN board and that headed by the Minister for Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare.

The minister is said to have vowed that the Nigerian Athletes will not wear the PUMA kits, stating that the contract is “a subject of a criminal investigation”.

Last year, the Department of State Services cleared Gusau and his vice president Sunday Adeleye over corruption allegations levelled against him by the sports ministry.

A statement from the commission says Akawu was detained on Tuesday 22nd October, 2019 following his arrest and was subsequently released on administrative bail the next day, to enable him submit some vital documents that were requested by investigators handling the case.

ICPC had received a petition alleging that he had failed to account for $130, 000 mistakenly paid into the account of AFN in 2017 by IAAF.

IAAF had in a letter to AFN in March 2017, volunteered to grant $20, 000 to the federation towards the successful hosting of the CAA Grand Prix Competition in Delta State, popularly known as 2017 Warri Relay Competition.

However, the international body for athletics while fulfilling the pledge, mistakenly paid $150, 000 to AFN in May, 2017, a sum which was far in excess of the $20, 000 grants it had earlier pledged.

IAAF quickly wrote to its Nigerian counterpart two months after the payment admitting the mistake and promptly requested that the $130, 000 excess be returned forthwith.

AFN is yet to refund the excess fund with Akawu as the Secretary General, claiming that the entire $130, 000 was spent on hosting the competition that held in July, 2017.

On different occasions, he requested for and got approval for the release of N30.4 million, N4.9 million and $20, 000 all in the month of July, 2017 as expenses for the competition. He also requested for N9.5 million in the same period, but N5 million was approved by the then Permanent Secretary.

Akawu is yet to furnish the Commission with the evidence of the expenditures, telling investigators that he had submitted all the documents relating to how the $130, 000 was spent by AFN to the registry in the office of the Minister.