One of Nigeria’s brightest medal prospects at the Tokyo Olympics, Blessing Okagbare has provisionally been suspended after failing a doping test.
The Tokyo Olympic Games is thus becoming a nightmare for Team Nigeria as another bad news has been recorded,
A statement from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) revealed that Okagbare who is both a world and Olympic medallist failed an out-of-competition test taken on July 19.
Okagbare who stormed to victory on Friday in her first race in Tokyo was meant to compete in the women’s 100 metres semi-finals on Saturday but that is no longer the case as she will miss the remainder of the Olympics.
Okagbare was informed of her suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) this morning.
“The Athletics Integrity Unit has provisionally suspended Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria today with immediate effect after a sample collected from the sprinter tested positive for human growth hormone,” the AIU said.
“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 midday 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 AIU will make no further comment on this matter at this time.”
The AIU had already disqualified 10 Nigerian athletes from Tokyo 2020 having failed to undergo the mandatory three out-of-competition tests in the run-up to the Olympic Games.
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