Nigeria's former Paralympic and Commonwealth Games champion, Esther Onyema, 38, has been banned four years by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for committing an anti-doping rule violation.

Onyema's dream of adding to the gold and silver medals she won at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games respectively next year in Tokyo has however evaporated as she is no longer eligible to compete in the sport until May 2, 2023.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) : "As a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping-free sporting environment at all levels.

"The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code (the Code) to prevent doping in sport for Paralympic athletes, in the spirit of fair play.

Oyema who was Nigeria's flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast two years ago, has enjoyed a long career at elite level, winning medals at Paralympic and Commonwealth Games.