Nigeria’s reigning sprinter, Blessing Okagbare has been provisionally suspended from participation in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics for testing positive for Human Growth Hormone.
This decision which was announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Friday has ruined Okagbare’s chances of picking a medal in the competition.
Okagbare had earlier qualified for the semi-finals of the women’s 100m.
The AIU which is an independent body of the World Athletics that manages all integrity issues for the sport said on Friday that Okagbare tested positive for Human Growth Hormone, “a non-specified substance on the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List”.
According to the AIU statement: “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 said in its statement.
“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 AIU will make no further comment on this matter at this time.”
Okagbare was participating in her third Olympics for Nigeria.
She joins 10 other Nigerian athletes who were disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday by the AIU for failing the body’s drug test.
