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 Disciplinary Tribunal has banned
Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years,” read an AIU
statement.
A copy of the judgement read in part, “For
the reasons set out, The Tribunal:
“Finds the ADRVs contrary to Rules 2.1 and
2.2 ADR proved;
“Imposes a period of Ineligibility of five
years concurrently on each of the Rule 2.1 and Rule 2.2 ADRVs;
“Finds that the Athlete failed to comply
with the Demand and cooperate with the AIU investigation in breach of Rules
5.7.3 and 5.7.7 ADRV and imposes a consecutive period of Ineligibility of five
years; and
“Therefore, imposes a total period of
Ineligibility of ten years which commences on 31 July 2021.
“The Tribunal also orders that the
Athlete’s results from and including 20 June 2021 are disqualified with all
resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, titles, ranking
points, and prize and appearance money.
“There is no order for costs.”
It was earlier reported that Okagbare was
facing three charges after testing positive for human growth hormone and EPO,
offences that forced her to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics, the Athletics
Integrity Unit said Thursday.
AIU had revealed that Okagbare tested
positive for blood-booster EPO in Nigeria in June, in addition to another
failed test for human growth hormone in Slovakia in July, which was announced
during the Olympics.
Okagbare was also charged with failing to
cooperate with the investigation after she disobeyed an order to produce
“documents, records and electronic storage devices” in relation to the other
charges.
Okagbare, a former Commonwealth Games gold
medallist, won her first-round heat of the women’s 100 metres in Tokyo before
being forced to withdraw when her test results were announced.
Okagbare had earlier denied all the
charges.