By NAN 18 February 2022 | 3:09 pm Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been banned for a total of 10 years for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. (FILES) In this file photo taken on July 30, 2021 Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare reacts after winning her race in the women’s 100m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021. – Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been barred from the Olympics after failing a drug test, the first doping case of the Tokyo games track and field competition, officials said on July 31, 2021. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been banned for a total of 10 years for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. Okagbare, who has an Olympic silver medal in long jump from the 2008 Beijing Games, was provisionally suspended before the 100 metres semi-finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last year. An AIU statement said the sole arbitrator adjudicating the case concluded that Okagbare’s “use of multiple prohibited substances” was “part of an organised doping regimen in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.” This “egregious conduct” led to an increase on the normal four-year sanction. The 33-year-old, who denied all charges, was given a five-year ban for returning doping tests positive for EPO as well as Human Growth Hormone. She was then handed an additional five-year ban for refusing to cooperate with an AIU investigation. “We welcome the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal. A ban of 10 years is a strong message against intentional and co-ordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of our sport,” said AIU chief Brett Clothier. “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.” Latest NOW Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool that having strength in depth is no guarantee of success as the Reds boss insisted his side are “not the Harlem Globetrotters”. 6 mins ago Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, says Edo’s minerals can transform the nation’s economy, develop its infrastructure and grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 7 mins ago Nigeria’s 2008 Olympics long jump silver medalist Blessing Okagbare has been banned for 10 years for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Friday. 9 mins ago Eleven people were missing and two remained trapped after an Italian-flagged ferry caught fire overnight on the Ionian Sea, Greek officials said as emergency crews raced against the clock to put out the blaze and locate survivors before dark. 14 mins ago Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been banned for a total of 10 years for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday.
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