NIGERIAN sprints and long jump star Blessing Okagbare has been formally charged by the Athletes Integrity Unit of global track and field body World Athletics.
The AIU describes itself as ‘the independent body created by the World Athletics that manages all integrity issues – both doping and non-doping – for the sport of athletics’.
Okagbare was suspended from participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in July on the eve of her event when an out-of-competition sample produced a positive result for the banned human growth hormone.
“The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has issued charges against Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare in relation to three separate disciplinary matters,” the body announced in a press release on Thursday.
“The athlete has been charged with the presence and use of a prohibited substance following the detection of Human Growth Hormone in a sample collected out-of-competition on 19th July in Slovakia and reported to the AIU on 30th July. This matter was publicly announced on 31st July when Ms Okagbare was provisionally suspended. She had been scheduled to participate in the semi-finals of the Toko 2020 women’s 100m that day.”
According to the AIU, there was another banned substance found in another sample taken from the 32-year-old Olympic and World Athletics Championship medallist.
“The athlete has also been charged with the presence and use of a prohibited substance following the detection of recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) in a sample collected out-of-competition on
20th June in Nigeria,” the AIU added.
“The AIU requested EPO analysis be conducted on the sample on 29th July and the adverse analytical finding was reported to the AIU on 12th August. Ms Okagbare was notified of the adverse analytical finding on 20th August.”
The AIU explained that Human Growth Hormone and EPO are non-specified substances on the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
The body says a provisional suspension is mandatory following an adverse analytical finding for such a substance under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules and Okagbare remains provisionally suspended.
The AIU also accused Okagbare of not giving them full cooperation in their investigations, hence a third charge.
“Finally, the AIU has issued a further charge against Ms Okagbare in accordance with Rule 12 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules following the athlete’s refusal to co-operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case,” it noted.
“Specifically, it is alleged that the athlete failed to comply with a formal requirement to produce relevant documents, records and electronic storage devices, which was issued to the athlete by the AIU on 15th September.”
Okagbare has however denied all charges and has requested that each of them be submitted to a hearing before the Disciplinary Tribunal.
Okagbare is one of the most successful Nigerian and African athletes of her generation, winning medals in women’s 100m, 200m and long jump at the Olympics, World Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games and African Games.
She also held the African records in women’s 100m and 200m and is regarded as an all-time great in her country and continent.
