Top Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare has reacted to the 10-year ban slammed on her by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Athletics Integrity Unit.
After being on suspension for over seven months with no clear direction on how her doping case will be adjudicated, the AIU on Friday announced that a 10-year ban has been placed on Okagbare.
In her reaction, Okagbare hinted that her lawyers are already studying the AIU decision ahead of their next line of action
“My attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the AIU regarding its disciplinary panel decision. My lawyers are currently studying it for our next line of action which we will inform you soon,” Okagbare tweeted on Friday.
The 33-year-old, who is also a sprinter, was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics last year before the women’s 100m semi-finals after testing positive for human growth hormone at an out-of-competition test in Slovakia on July 19.
The AIU in a statement issued on Friday explained why Okagbare was punished with a 10-year ban.
The AIU statement read in part: “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.”
