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AIU: Okagbare’s 10-year ban a strong message

Published:Saturday | February 19, 2022 | 12:09 AM
Blessing Okagbare, of Nigeria races in a women’s 200 metres heat at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar on September 30, 2019.
AP
Blessing Okagbare, of Nigeria races in a women’s 200 metres heat at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar on September 30, 2019.

LONDON (AP):

Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare received a 10-year ban for being part of an “organised doping regimen” ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said yesterday.

The 33-year-old 2013 World Championships long jump silver medallist was initially suspended in July just before she was due to run in the semi-finals of the 100 metres at the Olympics.

Okagbare tested positive for blood booster EPO in Nigeria in June, in addition to another failed test for human growth hormone in Slovakia in July. A ban of five years was imposed by the AIU for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances, and the suspension was doubled for her refusal to cooperate with the investigation.

“A ban of 10 years is a strong message against intentional and coordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of our sport,” AIU head Brett Clothier said. “This is an outcome that was driven by our intelligence-led target testing, as well as our commitment to investigate the circumstances behind a positive test.”

Okagbare won the bronze medal in the long jump at the 2008 Olympics. That was later upgraded to a silver medal when a Russian athlete was banned for doping. At the 2013 world championships, she doubled up with long jump silver and 200-metre bronze. Okagbare also won the 100 and the 200 metres at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.