After Bless ing Okagbare of Nigeria continued to break the anti-doping rule, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) decided to prolong her suspension by one year.
Blessing Okagbare particularly avoided sample collection and interfered with or attempted to interfere with the doping control procedure, according to a statement released by the AIU on Monday evening, June 27.
Recall that Okagbare was sentenced to a 10-year suspension by the body in February 2022 after being found guilty of doping. However, the ban has been lifted for a year (now 11 years in total).
On July 31, 2021, Blessing Okagbare was disqualified from the women’s 100-meter semifinals of the most recent Olympic Games in Tokyo.
AIU revealed that the double Commonwealth Games sprint champion in Glasgow had tested positive for human growth hormones at the time of the competition last year in Tokyo.
Additional FBI research into the case found that Okagbare was a part of a planned doping scheme including “naturopathic” therapist Eric Lira, who was based in the US.
“On the basis that the Athlete is deemed to have admitted the anti-doping rule violations under Rule 2.3 ADR and Rule 2.5 ADR and accepted the consequences set out in the Second Charge, the AIU confirms by this decision the following consequences for the anti-doping rule violations: an increase of one (1) year to the period of Ineligibility of five (5) years already imposed upon the Athlete by the Tribunal in the Decision in accordance with Rule 10.4 ADR.
Disqualification of the Athlete’s results since 13 June 2021, with all resulting Consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points prizes and appearance money; and
40.3. disqualification of the results of any relay team in which the Athlete competed since 13 June 2021 in accordance with Rule 11.3.1 ADR,” the statement reads in part.
Source:Ghgossip.com
