Tokyo Olympics: Former Long Jump Silver Medalist Okagbare banned after failing drugs test

ongoing Tokyo Olympics on Saturday witnessed an athlete being found failing Olympic dope test with Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare being provisionally suspended. is first doping case of Tokyo Olympics and also first one in  track and field competition, officials said Saturday.  Athletics Integrity Unit h earlier banned 10 Nigerian athletes from competing in  Tokyo Olympics due to failing to meet requirements for out-of-competition testing.

Athletics Olympics 2021: Blessing Okagbare fails Olympics Dope test

According to reports, Blessing Okagbare has been provisionally suspended after a positive test for human growth hormone. She was due to run in semifinals of women’s 100 meters at Olympics on Saturday. Athletics Integrity Unit said Okagbare tested positive in an out-of-competition test on July 19. AIU says it was only informed of finding on Friday, after Okagbare h alrey run in 100-meter heats at Tokyo Games.  AIU informed Okagbare of finding and her provisional suspension on Saturday morning. Okagbare won her heat in 11.05 seconds at Olympic Stium to progress to semis.

32-year-old Okagbare won a silver medal in long jump at 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2013 world championships. She also collected a bronze in 200 meters at 2013 worlds in Moscow behind gold medal winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is favourite for 100 m title in Tokyo. women’s 100 final is last event on Olympic track schedule on Saturday.

Earlier, Blessing Okagbare h tweeted regarding sam in which she wrote, "I have said it before and I will say it again. If you do not know sport, not passionate about it/Us [ athletes], n you have no business re as an ministrator. sport system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes, are always at receiving end of damages. y were busy fighting over power, exercising ir pride over puma contract/ kits forgetting ir major responsibility ' ATHLETES'. It's s that this cycle keeps repeating its self and some people will come out to say I am arrogant for speaking my truth. It is my CAREER."

Olympics dope test: AIU Bans 20 athletes

Earlier on Wednesday, Athletics Integrity Unit said in a statement that it banned 20 athletes from competing in  Tokyo Olympics due to anti-doping rules. While names of athletes were not released but it is learnt that list included 10 from Nigeria, three from Belarus, one from Ethiopia, two from Kenya, one from Morocco and three from Ukraine. Three athletes from Bahrain were also closely monitored, but all three were permitted to compete.

Image: @mountain214 / Twitter