Women’s hurdles world record-holder and World Athletics Championship gold medalist, Tobi Amusan, has been charged with an alleged anti-doping rule violation, which she confirmed in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
The Ogun state-born sprinter missed three drug tests in the span of 12 months and according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) the agency in charge of doping in international track by whom the athlete was charged, an athlete who misses tests within a period of 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.
The 26-year-old disclosed in a post via her Instagram account: “I am a CLEAN athlete, and I am regularly (maybe more than usual) tested 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.
“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,” Amusan emphasized.
This situation has raised questions about Amusan’s chances of performing at the World Championship set to hold in Budapest next month as she could be facing a possible two-year ban as a result, though exceptions can be made for different situations.
This charge is also raising doubts following Amusan’s stellar performance in recent times, setting the new world record in the women’s 100m hurdles by running 12.12 seconds at the last year’s World Athletics Championship, she ran at a strange time of 12.6 seconds in the finals minutes later to win the gold, though the time wasn’t set as the new record because there was too strong a tailwind which could have compromised the timing.
