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0 The Athletic Integrity Unit (AIU) has suspended Blessing Okagbare from the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympic games with immediate effect, after failing a drug test.
The AIU in a statement on Saturday said that the 32-year-old had tested positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on 19 July.
“Growth Hormone is a non-specified substance on the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List and a provisional suspension is mandatory following an adverse analytical finding for such substance under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.
“The AIU collected the sample from Ms. Okagbare during an out-of-competition test on 19 July. The WADA-accredited laboratory that analysed the sample notified the AIU of the adverse analytical finding at mid-day Central European Time yesterday, Friday 30 July.
“The athlete was notified of the adverse analytical finding and of her provisional suspension this morning in Tokyo. She was scheduled to participate in the semi-finals of the women’s 100m this evening,” the statement read.
Okagbare, Olympic long jump silver medallist in Beijing in 2008, had posted a time of 11.05 seconds in her 100m heat and was set to line up against Asher-Smith and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herath in the first semi-final.
The news comes two days after 10 Nigerian Athletes were disqualified from the Games because of non-compliance with out-of-competition drug testing requirements in the run-up to the Olympics.
