TOKYO, (Reuters) – Nigerian sprinter and 2008 Olympics long jump silver medallist Blessing Okagbare was provisionally suspended yesterday after testing positive for human growth hormone before the Tokyo Olympics, the Athletics Integrity Unit said in a statement.
The 32-year-old, who has also won world championship medals in the 200m and the long jump and is competing in her fourth Olympics, had comfortably won her 100m heat yesterday with a time of 11.05 seconds, qualifying for today’s semi-final.
She was also due to compete in the 200m as well as the 4X100m relay.
“The athlete was notified of the adverse analytical finding and of her provisional suspension this morning in Tokyo,” the AIU said.
The unit said she tested positive in an out-of-competition test on July 19 and was informed of her suspension yesterday.
Human growth hormone is on the list of banned substances.
Okagbare’s silver medal from the Beijing Games was a result of her being upgraded in 2017 after the International Olympic Committee disqualified Russian athlete Tatyana Lebedeva due to a doping offence.
Okagbare had originally finished third in that long jump competition.
