TOKYO, JAPAN – Nigerian Sprinter Blessing Okagbare and medal hopeful is out of the Tokyo Olympics after being suspended for failing a drugs test.
She had won her 100m heat on Friday and was due to race in the semi-finals today.
Blessing according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had tested positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on 19 July and she was notified of her provisional suspension this morning.
Okagbare, Olympic long jump silver medallist in Beijing in 2008, had posted a time of 11.05 seconds in her 100m heat and was set to line up against Asher-Smith and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herath in the first semi-final.
The news comes two days after 10 other Nigerian athletes were declared ineligible for the Games. The AIU ruled they were unable to take part because of non-compliance with out-of-competition drug testing requirements in the run-up to the Olympics.
