Nigerian Sprinter Blessing Okagbare has gotten a 10-year ban for doping.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Athletics Integrity Unit on Friday announced that Nigeria’s 2008 long jump silver medalist, Blessing Okagbare has been banned for 10 years.
Last year, the 33-year-old was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics before the women’s 100m semi-finals after testing positive for human growth hormone at an out-of-competition test in Slovakia on July 19.
AIU in a statement on Friday wrote, “The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years.”
A copy of the judgment obtained read in part, “For the reasons set out, The Tribunal:
“Finds the ADRVs contrary to Rules 2.1 and 2.2 ADR proved;
“Imposes a period of Ineligibility of five years concurrently on each of the Rule 2.1 and Rule 2.2 ADRVs;
“Finds that the Athlete failed to comply with the Demand and cooperate with the AIU investigation in breach of Rules 5.7.3 and 5.7.7 ADRV and imposes a consecutive period of Ineligibility of five years; and
“Therefore, imposes a total period of Ineligibility of ten years which commences on 31 July 2021.
“There is no order for costs.”
Okagbare had been facing three charges after testing positive for human growth hormone and EPO. In June, AIU revealed that Okagbare tested positive for blood-booster EPO in Nigeria, in addition to another failed test for human growth hormone in Slovakia in July, which was announced during the Olympics.
She was further charged with failing to cooperate with the investigation after she disobeyed an order to produce “documents, records and electronic storage devices” in relation to the other charges.
The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist who earlier denied all charges won her first-round heat of the women’s 100 metres in Tokyo before being forced to withdraw when her test results were announced.
