Nigeria’s sprinter, Blessing Okagbare has been banned for 10 years for doping
A statement announced on Friday by the Athletics Integrity Unit explained that Okagbare was banned for 10 years” Five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances and five years for her refusal to co- operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case.
Okagbare was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for human growth hormone at an- out- of- competition test in Slovakia on July 19.
The 33 – year- old 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist was linked to an indictment brought against one Eric Lira,a Texas naturopathic therapist and alleged supplier of the doping substances.
Encrypted messages between Lira and Okagbare by the Athletics Disciplany team revealed that Okagbare was one of the athletes supplied with drugs before the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Lira is currently facing criminal charge under the Rodchenkov Anti- Doping Act in the Southern District of New York.
