Nigerian 100M sprinting sensation Blessing Okagbare has lost her appeal to have her suspension lifted by World Athletics (WA) after failing an out-of-competition test. The U.S.-based sprinter was thrown out of the Tokyo Olympics Games on the eve of the semifinals of the women’s 100m after testing positive for human growth hormone. The AIU explained then that the Growth Hormone is a non-specified substance on the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list, and a provisional suspension on Okagbare was mandatory following an adverse analytical finding for such substance under the World Athletics anti-doping rules.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) revealed then that Okagbare failed an out-of-competition test taken on July 19. She appealed against the suspension immediately, insisting on seeing the result of her B Sample.
Okagbare was allegedly handed a four-year ban after the result of her B Sample came out with the same result. Apparently, the Nigerian had the option of accepting her A Sample results for coming out positive then get the ban reduced to two or three years, but instead insisted on her B Sample. Okagbare, who won Olympic silver in the long jump in Beijing 13 years ago, holds the Commonwealth Games record in the women’s 100m, set in Glasgow in 2014.