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Recall that the 2008 long jump silver medalist was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics last year before the women’s 100m semi-finals after she tested positive for human growth hormone at an out-of-competition test in Slovakia on the 19th of July.
Giving an update on her case, the Athletics Integrity Unit in a press release published today and titled ‘Disciplinary Tribunal hands Blessing Okagbare a 10-year ban for multiple breaches of the Anti-Doping Rules’, announced the ban, adding that it is a strong message against intentional and co-ordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of Sport.
“The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years, five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances and five years for her refusal to co-operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case”, the AIU statement, which quotes Brett Clothier, Head of the AIU, began.
“The sole arbitrator adjudicating the case concluded that the athlete’s use of multiple prohibited substances as part of an organised doping regimen in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games was egregious conduct that amounted to aggravating circumstances under the Rules thereby warranting an additional period of ineligibility on top of the standard four-year sanction”.
‘The sole arbitrator also recognised the AIU’s right to carry out investigations, including the imaging of electronic devices, and to impose sanctions when an athlete refuses to co-operate with an investigation and thereby frustrates the AIU’s ability to fulfil its mandate to protect the integrity of the sport of athletics. In this instance, the sole arbitrator concluded that the athlete’s refusal to cooperate had denied the AIU the opportunity to discover evidence of possible further rule violations by her as well possible violations of the rules by others, for which he imposed an additional sanction of five years”, the statement went on.
Accepting the decision of the Tribunal, Brett Clothier was quoted to have added, “We welcome the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal; a ban of 10-year is a strong message against intentional and co-ordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of our sport. 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”.
The press release, however, added that Blessing Okagbare has 30 days ultimatum to file for an appeal against the tribunal’s decision. “The athlete has the right to appeal against the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 30-days. The reasoned decision can be accessed here”, it said.
