BREAKING: Blessing Okagbare banned 10 years for doping

Nigeria’s top female sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been handed a 10-year ban for doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

The 33-year-old was slammed five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances and five years for her refusal to cooperate with the AIU’s investigation into her case, following her expulsion from last year’s Tokyo Olympics for doping violations.

“The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years,” read an AIU statement released Friday.

It was concluded after trial that Okagbare’s use of multiple prohibited substances as part of an organised doping regimen in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games was egregious conduct that amounted to aggravating circumstances under the Rules thereby warranting an additional period of ineligibility on top of the standard four-year sanction.

READ: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Nigeria’s Okagbare suspended

The AIU had in October 2021, pressed charges against Okagbare in relation to separate disciplinary matters. First, for the presence and use of multiple (two) prohibited substances (human Growth Hormone (hGH) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO)) for which she had been provisionally suspended on 31 July 2021, the day on which she had been scheduled to participate in the semi-finals of the Tokyo 2020 women’s 100m.

Okagbare, though not named, was identified in an indictment last month brought against Texas therapist Eric Lira, her alleged supplier.

US justice department officials in New York said Eric Lira, a 41-year-old “naturopathic” therapist based in El Paso, supplied drugs to two athletes for the “purpose of corrupting” the Tokyo Games.

At 33 and with a 10-year ban, the curtains may just have been drawn on Okagbare’s career as an athlete as she would be 43 by the time the ban is lifted, barring any other issues. The Sapele, Delta State-born sprinter had represented Nigeria at three Olympics in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relays and long jump.