Amusan was excluded from the competition by AFN because she is currently under doping investigation by AIU
Kehinde Okeowo
The World Athletics (WA) has refuted claims that it has granted world record holder and Nigeria’s track queen, Tobi Amusan permission to defend her title at the forthcoming 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Amusan’s name was excluded by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) from the competition as she is currently under doping investigation by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
However, some media outlets reported last weekend that the 26-year-old has been cleared to take part in the World Athletics Championships.
Reacting to the news, World Athletics’ Head of Communications, Nicole Jeffery in a statement said the body has not cleared the Nigerian hurdler yet.
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The statement read: “Please be advised, reports that say Tobi Amusan has been cleared to compete in Budapest are wrong,
“No decision has been made in this case yet. When a decision is made, it will be announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit.”
Prior to this development, the World Athletics body included Amusan’s name on the entry list for the competition published last week but with a provision that her participation would depend on the outcome of the whereabouts failure charge preferred against her by the AIU.
The AIU is expected to make its decision known before the start of the World Athletics Championships.
Amusan is currently the world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles. She claimed the title at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States of America in 2022.