Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare banned for 10 years

Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been banned for 10 years for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules.

Five years are for the use of multiple prohibited substances and five years for her reported refusal to cooperate with Athletics Integrity Unit.

In September, The Gleaner reported that the sprinter was being probed by a major US agency in a doping matter

READ: Major US agency probing Blessing Okagbare anti-doping case

The development comes just over a month after Okagbare was barred from contesting the 100m semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics having been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on July 31.

She was suspended for using the banned drug Human Growth Hormone.

In a statement this morning, AIU said Okagbare's use of multiple prohibited substances as part of an organised doping regiment in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games was considered to be 'egregious conduct' accounting for the extra year, on top of the usual four-year ban.

According to the AIU, Okagbare's refusal to cooperate with the investigation meant the organisation was not able to verify further rule breaches on the part of Okagbare, or to sanction other persons for violations either.

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