Sports
Okagbare Yet To Appeal 10-Year Ban, As Deadline Draws Close
Nigerian Sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, may not appeal the 10-year-ban handed her by the Athletics Integrity Unit for doping as the 30-day appeal deadline nears expiration.
The AIU February 18 banned the 2008 Olympics long jump silver medallist for “multiple breaches of anti-doping rules.”
Okagbare was handed a five-year ban for the multiple prohibited substances found in her out of competition test, which was carried out on July 19, 2020, and another five-year ban for failing to cooperate with investigators.
Tidesports source reports that the 33-year-old was provisionally suspended just hours before she was due to run in the semi-finals of the women’s 100m at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo last year.
Reacting to the ban, Okagbare took to social media on February 19 stating that her lawyers were studying the decision in order to advise her on the next course of action.
“My attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the AIU regarding its disciplinary panel’s decision. My lawyers are currently studying it for our next line of action, which we will inform you soon,” she stated.
However, according to our findings, Okagbare is yet to make an official appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport with just five days to the expiration of the deadline.
In a letter sent to our correspondent and signed by CAS’ Communications Officer, Katy Hogg, dated March 10, 2022, CAS stated that there was no record of Okagbare filing an appeal in its log.
“Please be advised that at the time of writing, no appeals have been filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in relation to this matter.”
Should the 33-year-old file an appeal and lose, she will be made to pay indemnities to both CAS and World Athletics.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.