The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) says banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been found to have committed additional anti-doping rule violations.
According to a statement on the website of (AIU), the violations were specifically evading sample collection and tampering or attempted tampering with the doping control process.
”While Okagbare has had her current 10-year ban from athletics extended by one year (now 11 years in total).
“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, 2022), 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 13 June 2022, are now disqualified under the rules,” the statement read in part.
Recalls that Okagbare was handed a 10-year ban by the AIU in February 2022 for multiple breaches of anti-doping rules.
On Monday, in a related development, the Delta Queens women’s hockey club of Asaba in Abuja defeated Plateau Queens 2-0 in the ongoing 2022 Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) Super League.
The Super League, which started on Saturday and will end on Sunday, is holding at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The Delta Queens opened scoring in fourth minute through Beauty Irame from a brilliant field goal.
Plateau Queens immediately fought back in search of an equaliser, making dangerous incursions into their opponents’ area but failing to score.
Roselyn Ovoh however extended Delta Queens’ lead by scoring in the 54th minute.
Speaking after the match, the coach of Delta Queens, Ade Jacobs, said in spite of what he described as “unfair officiating” his players still performed well.
“Though the officiating wasn’t good, my players were able to step up their game because we really need points to move on.
“We don’t want to take any chances with all our opponents, but we need to win and we were able to have it today,” he said.
Jacobs however added that the match’s officiating was unfair.
”That’s the only problem with the match. But we need the game to be officiated fairly.
“However, I must say that all the games play so far in this competition have been officiated fairly, in comparison to today’s match.”
Delta Queens will now take on the South West hockey club on Tuesday.
In their previous matches, they defeated Benue Amazons 6-0 on Saturday, and defeated IGP Babes 5-0 on Sunday.
On their part, Plateau Queens beat South West 2-0 on Saturday and beat Benue Amazons 3-2 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in other women’s competition games, Yobe Queens beat South West hockey club of Lagos 3-0 and Kada Queens defeated Benue Amazons 2-0.
In the men’s category of the competition, Stallions lost 0-2 to Delta Force, Yobe Desert Rollers beat IGP Flickers 3-1, while Niger Flickers whipped South West 5-0.
On Tuesday, Plateau Queens will take on IGP Babes, Delta Queens will face South West, while Kada Queens will meet Yobe Queens.
A total of 15 teams are participating in the Super League, with seven of them in the women’s category and the rest eight in the men’s category.
The teams in the women’s category are: Delta Queens, Plateau Queens, Kada Queens of Kaduna, Yobe Queens of Damaturu, IGP Babes, South West of Lagos and Benue Amazons.
