Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare slammed with 10-year ban for doping violations

Adored Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare has been placed on a ban for 10 years for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday.

The 10 years suspension was given before the 100 meters semi-final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last year.

Blessing Okagbare, 33 who has an Olympic silver medal in the long jump from the 2008 Beijing Games was handed a 5-year ban for the presence of prohibited substances and it’s use, and another 5 years ban for her refusal to co-operate with an AUI investigation, making it a total of 10 years ban.

An AIU statement said the sole arbitrator judging the case concluded that Okagbare’s “use of multiple prohibited substances” was “part of an organized doping regimen in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.”

This “egregious conduct” led to an increase in the normal four-year sanction.

We welcome the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal. A ban of 10 years is a strong message against intentional and coordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of our sport,” said AIU chief Brett Clothier.

“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.”

TopNaija recalls that Okagbare was suspended during the Tokyo Olympics after failing a drug test.