US Drops Charges Against Okagbare

Nigeria Sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, has been barred from the Olympics after failing a drug test, the first doping case of the Tokyo games track and field competition, officials said on July 31, 2021.
However, there were strong indications yesterday that the United States may have dropped ‘all charges’ against Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, who is serving a 10-year ban over drugs offences.
Okagbare was provisionally suspended for testing positive for human growth hormone in July 2021, just hours before her 100m semifinals at Tokyo Olympics. She was later handed a 10-year ban by the world anti-doping agency (WADA).
Before then, Okagbare was under investigation by an American agency for some other misdemeanours. The U.S. Federal authorities had searched Okagbare’s cellphone on her return to the country from the Tokyo Olympics and found she had frequently communicated with Eric Lira, a kinesiologist and naturopathic doctor, who was said to have brought ‘misbranded’ versions of the drugs to the U.S. from Central and South America before distributing them to athletes.
But a source close to World Athletics told newsmen yesterday, that the U.S. has dropped ‘all charges’ against Okagbare.
“What I just heard is that America has dropped all charges against Blessing Okagbare. But that does not in any way affect the 10-year ban on her,” the source stated.