Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan on provisional suspension by AIU for ‘missing drug tests’

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the Women’s 100m hurdles world record-holder, has been handed a provisional suspension by The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for allegedly missing drug tests.

The AIU, in a statement on its Twitter account on Wednesday, announced the sanction, stating that the Nigerian violated its rule by “missing three tests in 12 months.”

“The AIU confirms that it has today charged and provisionally suspended Tobi Amusan (NGR) for 3 Whereabouts Failures,” the statement reads.

The 26-year-old Nigerian had earlier taken to her Instagram page to announce the charge against her by the AIU.

“Today the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has charged me with an alleged rule violation for having 3 missed tests in 12 months,” she said.

She declared herself “a clean athlete” and vowed to challenge the allegations, saying she was “tested within days” of her third alleged missed test.

“Today, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has charged me with an alleged rule violation for having three missed tests in 12 months,” Amusan said.

“I intend to fight this charge and will have my case decided by a tribunal of 3 arbitrators before the start of next month’s World Championships.”

Even though the anti-doping body said Amusan’s charge will be heard by the disciplinary tribunal and determined before the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, next month but the situation is already casting doubt on her participation in the world championships.

The AIU rules stipulate that an athlete who misses tests within 12 months is guilty of anti-doping rule violation, and the penalty includes suspension for two years, which may be reduced to a minimum of one year depending on the degree of fault.

Amusa set the current world record for the women’s 100m hurdles of 12.12 seconds at last year’s World Athletics Championships.  On Sunday, Amusan took part in the Silesia Diamond League competition in Poland, where she set a new meeting record of 12.34sec. At the Golden Spike athletics meet in the Czech Republic last month, she finished in third place in the women’s 100m hurdles, losing to reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, who claimed victory in 12.42sec.

AFP