Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Nigerian Sprinter Blessing Okagbare Suspended For Doping
Okagbare tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test on July 19, the Athletics Integrity Unit said, prompting a mandatory provisional suspension
Written By Omolagba Oluwayemi
Nigeria track and field queen, Blessing Okagbare was on Saturday provisionally suspended from the Tokyo Olympics. This was as a result of her tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test on July 19, the Athletics Integrity Unit said, prompting a mandatory provisional suspension.
The results of that test were only received by track and field’s anti-doping body late Friday and after Okagbare had already run in the 100 heats on the opening day of track competition at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, the AIU said.
Okagbare’s suspension comes three days after the AIU announced that 10 track and field athletes from Nigeria were among a group of 20 from various countries who were disqualified from competing at the Olympics because they hadn’t met minimum doping test requirements.
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Nigeria is considered a high-risk country by the World Anti-Doping Agency because of a brittle anti-doping program. Because of that, Nigerian athletes must have at least three out-of-competition tests in the 10 months before a major championship.
Okagbare was initially billed to to run in the semifinals of the women’s 100 meters at the Olympics having won her heat in 11.05 seconds on Friday.
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