Nigeria’s Olympic medalist, Blessing Okagbare has been sentenced to five years in prison for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances, as well as five years in prison for refusing to cooperate with the AIU’s investigation into her case.
After an impressive run of form, Okagbare was a medal contender for the women’s 100m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
As the former Millennium Dome was battered by 100mph Storm Eunice winds, the roof of the 02 Arena was ripped open.
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At the Nigerian trials in June, she ran a wind-assisted 10.63 seconds before winning her heat in Tokyo in 11.05.
On July 19, Okagbare “tested positive for human growth hormone,” ruling her out of the semi-finals.
She won an Olympic silver medal in the long jump in Beijing in 2008 and a World Championship silver medal in Moscow in 2013.
She also holds the Commonwealth Games record of 10.85 seconds in the women’s 100m in Glasgow in 2014.
A statement by the AIU reads;
“The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of ten years, five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances, and five years for her refusal to cooperate with the AIU’s investigation into her case,” according to a statement.
“The sole arbitrator hearing the case concluded that the athlete’s use of multiple prohibited substances as part of an organized doping regimen in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games constituted egregious conduct that amounted to aggravating circumstances under the Rules, warranting an additional sanction.”
The sole arbitrator also recognized the AIU’s right to conduct investigations, including the imaging of electronic devices, and to impose sanctions when an athlete refuses to cooperate with an investigation, impeding the AIU’s ability to fulfill its mandate of protecting the integrity of athletics.
In this case, the sole arbitrator concluded that the athlete’s refusal to cooperate had denied the AIU the opportunity to discover evidence of potential further rule violations by her as well as potential rule violations by others, for which he imposed a five-year additional sanction.
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