Sports

Blessing Okagbare’s ban extended to 11 years

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2 years ago

June 28, 2022

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The Athletics Integrity Unit has extended the ban on Nigeria’s 2008 long jump silver medalist Blessing Okagbare to 11 years.

In February 2022, a 10-year-ban was handed down to Okagbare by the body after she was found guilty of doping.

In a document released on Monday, June 27, the AIU added one additional year to Okagbare’s ban after she allegedly failed to respond to the charges by the extended deadline -June 21, 2022.

According to the document, the 33-year-old athlete is meant to have admitted the anti-doping rule violations (under Rule 2.3 and Rule 2.5 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules) and to have accepted the consequences.

The 33-year-old, who is also a sprinter, was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics last year before the women’s 100m semi-finals after testing positive for human growth hormone at an out-of-competition test in Slovakia on July 19.

In February 2022, the Disciplinary Tribunal banned Okagbare for 10 years, consecutive five-year bans for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances, and for her refusal to co-operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case.

The prohibited substances she tested positive for were human Growth Hormone (hGH) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO).

The decision stemmed from charges that the AIU brought against Okagbare on October 7, 2021.