Amusan to Contest alleged AIU doping violation Charge
By Uzor Odigbo
World champion Tobi Amusan (12:12 secs) has been charged by the Athletics Integrity Unit with an alleged doping violation as regard missing three whereabouts tests.
She has also said the charge would be contested by tribuna before the World Championship in Budapest.
Amusan announced this on a social media post early Wednesday morning, hours after winning at Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old who insisted her innocence, said she would contest the charged at a tribunal of three arbitrators before next month’s World Championships in Budapest
According to her, she got tested “within days of my third ‘missed test.’”.
The women’s 100m hurdles World record holder also asked that her privacy be respected be respected.
“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. I am a CLEAN ATHLETE, and I am regularly; (maybe more than the usual) tested by the AIU – I was tested within days of my third “missed test.” I have FAITH that this will be resolved in my favor and that I will be competing at the World Championships in August. In the meantime, I ask that the media respect my privacy while I address these allegations in my upcoming arbitration,” Amusan wrote.
Under World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, the sanction for three ‘whereabouts’ failures is two years’ ineligibility, subject to a reduction to a minimum of one year depending on an athlete’s degree of fault.
In 2021, Nigerian-born Bahrainian athlete Salwa Eid Naser who was the reigning women’s 400m world champion was banned for two years causing her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after missing three whereabouts test spanning just over one year.