In the world of sports, the personal lives of athletes often become as captivating as their careers on the field.
While their achievements, records, and performances are celebrated, it’s their stories off the field that sometimes catch the public’s eye, revealing the human side of these superstars.
Among such stories, those involving paternity tests stand out, unraveling tales of family, identity, and sometimes, unexpected turns in personal relationships.
In this listicle, we delve into the lives of five former sports icons who turned to DNA testing to confirm the paternity of their children.
1 . Geremi: Former Chelsea and Cameroon midfielder, Geremi Njitap filed for divorce from his wife, Laure Fotso after DNA tests showed his two children were fathered by her ex.
Geremi, 45, said the couple’s twins were born after wife Laure had a fling.
The documents, which were leaked to media in Yaounde, alleged that she “destroyed the harmony” of their marriage “through her abject behaviour” and “repeated lies.”
Geremi said that his wife has “psychologically damaged him” with the revelation causing “a huge emotional shock.” He described the revelation, which came following a paternity test, as a “serious and renewed violation of the duties and obligations of marriage.”
2 . Asamoah Gyan: Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan conducted a DNA test on his 3 children with his ex-wife Gifty.
The former Black Stars captain was then doubting the legitimacy of his three children and therefore requested for a DNA paternity test to be carried out on each of them to ascertain the truth.
After five years of protracted dispute, the court finally ruled on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, that Gyan is the biological father of all three children of Gifty Gyan.
The couple’s marriage made the headlines when Gyan filed for a divorce at the Matrimonial Division of the High Court in Accra in 2018.
3 . Nii Odartey Lamptey: Former Black Stars player Nii Odartey Lamptey found out that all his children with his ex-wife were not his through a DNA test.
“I thought I was the father but upon rumours that they are not my kids, they said I have to do a DNA,” he told Accra-based TV3 in an interview.
The former Aston Villa star said his lawyer showed him “where they do the DNA, I got to know that yes, the kids are not mine.”