{"id":39247,"date":"2021-07-31T00:46:25","date_gmt":"2021-07-31T00:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=39247"},"modified":"2021-07-31T00:46:25","modified_gmt":"2021-07-31T00:46:25","slug":"tokyo-olympics-nigeria-sprinter-blessing-okagbare-out-of-games-after-failed-drugs-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=39247","title":{"rendered":"Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria sprinter Blessing Okagbare out of Games after failed drugs test"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Okagbare ran in the Olympic 100m heats before being suspended<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sprinter Blessing Okagbare is out of the Tokyo Olympics after being suspended for failing a drugs test.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Nigerian – a rival to Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith – had won her 100m heat on Friday and was due to race in the semi-finals on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said the 32-year-old had tested positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on 19 July.<\/span><\/p>\n

The AIU said<\/span>external-link<\/title><\/svg><\/span><\/a> Okagbare was notified of her provisional suspension on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n

It added it would not be making any further comment at this stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

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. <\/span><\/p>\n

The news comes two days after <\/span>10 other Nigerian athletes <\/span><\/a>were declared ineligible for the Games.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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