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Blessing Okagbare
Blessing Okagbare from Nigeria had appealled her four-year suspension, however, her B sample had resulted in another positive result. She will serve out her four-year doping ban.
The sprinter tested positive for Human Growth Hormone during an out-of-competition test and was subsequently removed from the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The 32-year-old had the opportunity to admit guilt and to serve a reduced sentence of two years. The appeal cost her the full four years which means no Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Nigeria sprinter Blessing Okagbare out of Games after failed drugs test https://t.co/CpEhDLRpJm
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 31, 2021
In Tokyo, she won the first-round heat in the time of 11.05. She was subsequently suspended on July, 31 after failing the test taken on July 19.
The positive test throws shade over her career, which includes 17 national titles in the 100m, 200m, long jump and triple jump. She won three 2010 NCAA championships in the indoor 60m, 100m and long jump. The US-based athlete owns a lifetime best in the 100m of 10.79 and 22.04 in the 200m. She is a six-time African champion and earned a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar lost his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and will serve out his four-year ban originally handed to him in the middle of the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.
The 63-year-old, who coached four-time Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah for a period, was banned by the US Anti-Doping Agency for “orchestrating and facilitating” doping as head coach of the Nike Oregon Project.
The CAS confirmed in a statement that a ban handed to Dr. Jeffrey Brown was also upheld.”CAS confirms the four-year bans imposed on Dr. Jeffrey Brown and Alberto Salazar for anti-doping rule violations.”
US distance coach #AlbertoSalazar loses appeal against doping violations. #CAS #ADRV https://t.co/toZ2HCDU4M
— 🏀 On The N9ne 🏁 🎥 (@OnTheN9ne) September 16, 2021
Salazar also coached Olympic medallists and finalists, Sifan Hassan, Donavan Brazier, Matthew Centrowitz, Shannon Rowbury, Kara Goucher, Galen Rupp, as well as Cameron Levins, Jordan Hasay, Dathan Ritzenhein, Mary Cain and many others.
Nike closed down the Nike Oregon Project.
Salazar won three consecutive New York City Marathons during the 1980s.
The lost appeal was announced approximately the same time as a new documentary emerged from Canadian director and producer Paul Kemp. The film is called, Nike’s Big Bet and is currently available to stream online from various sources.
