The Athletics Integrity Unit has issued charges against Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare in relation to three disciplinary matters, the presence of HGH, EPO and obstructing the investigation.
The 33-year old was prevented from competing at Tokyo 2020 after an out-of-competition sample collected on July 19 came back positive for human growth hormone (HGH).
Okagbare was provisionally suspended for that offence on July 30, the day she was due to run in the semi-finals of the women’s 100 metres.
The athlete has now been hit with a second charge relating to the presence of another prohibited substance in a sample.
An out-of-competition sample collected on June 20 has returned a positive result for recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) following an AIU request for EPO analysis to be carried out.
Okagbare’s provisional suspension mid-Olympics was an embarrassing development for Nigeria and came after the AIU banned 10 Nigerian athletes from the Games because they had not been tested rigorously enough in the build-up
According to reports, an unnamed major US law enforcement agency is actively pursuing the anti-doping case involving the provisionally suspended Nigerian sprinter and 2008 Olympic long jump silver medallist, Blessing Okagbare.
The investigations, which are grounded in the United States, fall under the controversial Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, passed by the U.S. Government in December 2020. It grants extraterritorial jurisdiction under major international doping fraud conspiracies.
While the Act provides the legal framework for the prosecution of individuals involved in doping schemes at international sports competitions involving American athletes, broadcasters and sponsors, under the law, criminal prosecution cannot be brought against athletes, who test positive for performance-enhancing substances, such as in the case of Okagbare.
Okagbare, a multi-time African champion, won silver in the long jump at Beijing 2008 but has largely specialised in the sprints since.
She is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, having won the women’s 100m and 200m events at Glasgow 2014, and also won a long jump silver and 200m bronze at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
MOLATsportgist 