Nigeria’s medal hopeful, Blessing Okagbare has been suspended from the Olympics due to doping.
This was announced by the Athletic Integrity Unit saying she tested positive for a banned substance, a growth hormone.
The body said she tested positive to a banned substance in an out-of-competition test in July 19.
The 32-year-old cruised to victory in the Heat on Friday and scheduled to run in the semi-final on Saturday.
With some other Nigerian athletes protesting in Tokyo after they were suspended for doping, this is a serious issue.
Nigerians woke up to the news of Blessing Okagbare suspended after seeing are cruise to victory on Friday.
Okagbare is one of Nigeria’s sure candidate for a medal and the country’s chances of winning one is now slim.
Part of the statement said “The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria today with immediate effect after a sample collected from the sprinter tested positive for human Growth Hormone.
Growth Hormone is a non-specified substance on the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List and a provisional suspension is mandatory following an adverse analytical finding for such substance under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.”
“The AIU collected the sample from Ms. Okagbare during an out-of-competition test on 19 July. The WADA-accredited laboratory that analysed the sample notified the AIU of the adverse analytical finding at mid-day Central European Time yesterday, Friday 30 July.
“The athlete was notified of the adverse analytical finding and of her provisional suspension this morning in Tokyo. She was scheduled to participate in the semi-finals of the women’s 100m this evening.
“The AIU will make no further comment on this matter at this time.”
Someone should be held responsible as it is becoming embarrassing at this particular competition.
Now, Grace Nwokocha is Nigeria’s only representative at the semi-final, we wish her luck.
We need to start asking ourselves the deep damn questions – who is her trainer/medical advicer, who’s responsible for the athletes, why is it now they decided to release the result. She has a personal best of 10:85, why would an 11:00 run raise eye brows? My last question may be sentimental, but at this point, I can only feel sad for Blessing. After Months & months of training and financing, everything goes down the drain. The officiating has been a tad bit too strict. Francis Oduduru was DQ’ed from race from just one false start. Same with the Togo sprinter. They don’t even consider these athletes and what they go through to get to that stage in the olympics. In my opinion, this tokyo2020 has been a disaster. At least for Nigeria. It’s heartbreaking!
It is sad, but it just shows that we are still very behind when it comes to other sports. Even football that everyone is obsessed about is not being administered to its full potential because the amount of jobs football can provide alone would reduce the employment rate a lot.
Hopefully we would get there one day and people will not be too greedy.
I must thank yоu for the efforts ʏou have put in writing this website.
I really hope to see the same high-graɗe contеnt from you in the future as well.
In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivateⅾ me to get my ᴠery own site
now 😉
Thank you so much.