The management of Enyimba FC has throw its weight behind its Captain, Austin Oladapo, who was this week banned for one year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for failing dope test.
Last Monday in its ruling, CAF found the Nigerian star to have tested positive to banned substance prednisolone in the Confederation Cup quarter final first leg match against Pyramids FC of Egypt on May 16th, 2021.
The Aba Elephant said in a statement yesterday that it will stand by their player in this trying time and would also not wish to stand toe-to toe against the continental body.
CAF found Oladapo guilty of a failed dope test and banned him from playing for the next calendar year when the Disciplinary Committee met to take decision on several matters affecting football in all its competitions.
But yesterday, Enyimba Chairman, Felix Anyasi Agwu, stated that "while the club still have the option to appeal the decision, it is pertinent to first clarify that as a club, we have a strict code of conduct that shows zero tolerance to hard drugs or any banned substance.
That is why there had never been any record of a positive dope test for any of our players, either in the domestic or international competitions.
"It is also important to state that the player in question is a true professional who strongly upholds and has always abided by the high standards of our club; and it was for this reason, alongside his exceptional leadership quality on and off the pitch, that he was chosen as captain of our team," observed the club Chairman.
Anyasi further vouched for the moral uprightness of Oladapo, insisting that during the four years he has stayed with the Aba club, they have no reason to question him on integrity.
"We are therefore convinced that a player who over his four years with us has shown such an exemplary level of moral and professional discipline could not have knowingly taken the said substance.
He stated further that; "While we have been given the option to appeal the decision, it is pertinent to first clarify that as a club, we have a strict code of conduct that shows zero tolerance for hard drugs or any banned substance. "That is why there had never been any record of a positive dope test for any of our players, either in the domestic or international competitions.