28th June, 2022
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Nigeria’s 4×100 relay women squad has been disqualified from participating in the World Championship due to the ban on Blessing Okagbare.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had banned the Nigerian sprinter, Okagbare in February 2022, for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules.
According to a statement on the website of AIU, the violations were specifically about evading sample collection and tampering or attempted tampering with the doping control process.
It read in part; ”While Okagbare has had her current 10-year ban from athletics extended by one year, for a total of 11 years now, another significant consequence of this decision against her is that Nigeria has lost its potential qualification place for the women’s 4x100m relay at next month’s World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
”This is because six days after Okagbare evaded sample collection (June 13, 2021), she competed in the 4x100m relay event at the Nigeria Olympic Trials, with her relay squad qualifying for this year’s World Championships.
”All individual and relay results involving Okagbare, from June 13, 2021, are now disqualified under the rules”.
NAN