The announcement comes the same day as the withdrawal of his silver medal in the British 4x100m relay due to the positive test of one of his sprinters, Chijindu "CJ" Ujah.

The Okagbare affair shook the athletics planet on the day of the semi-finals and final of the straight line at the Olympics.

The 33-year-old Nigerian, considered one of the serious contenders for a medal, was ejected from the Games on July 31, 2021 for growth hormone doping following an out-of-competition test on July 19.

His case had been aggravated after the announcement of another positive control, this time at EPO, which occurred earlier in the season.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) clarified on Friday that Okagbare had been suspended for five years for “multiple use of prohibited products” and another five years for “his refusal to cooperate with the AIU investigation. ".

This sanction comes a month after the indictment of Eric Lira under the "Rodchenkov law", which allows the United States to prosecute anyone involved in a doping case in an international competition.

Lira, who presents himself as a "kinesiologist and naturopath" doctor based in Texas, is accused of having supplied doping products to two athletes before the Tokyo Olympics, one of whom was identified as Blessing Okagbare, indicated the IAU.

The indictment, issued by District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, includes encrypted correspondence between Okagbare, named as "Athlete No. 1," and Lira in which the sprinter testifies to the effectiveness of the substances used during the Nigerian Olympic qualifications, on June 17 in Lagos.

Nigerian Blessing Okagbare in lane N.7 during the 100m heats at the Tokyo Olympics, July 30, 2021 Andrej ISAKOVIC AFP / Archives

"Ready to Dominate"

"Eric, my body feels so good. I just ran 10 sec 63 over 100m on Friday with a wind of 2.7m/s. I'm so happy. Whatever you've done, it's going so well," said writes Okagbare to Eric Lira, according to the transcript of the correspondence cited in the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal of the International Athletics Federation.

"You'll be ready to dominate," Lira had replied.

Another message from Okagbare, sent just after his positive test revealed during the Games, is also included in the indictment.

"Call me urgently. They say my test is positive for growth hormone. I don't understand," Okagbare wrote to Eric Lira.

Nigerian Blessing Okagbare after her 200m series at the Doha Worlds, September 30, 2019 KARIM JAAFAR AFP / Archives

"We welcome the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal, said Brett Clothier, the boss of the AIU. A 10-year suspension is a strong message against intentional and coordinated attempts to cheat at the highest level of our sport. It is a result that was driven by our targeted intelligence-based testing as well as our commitment to investigating the circumstances leading to the positive test."

Okagbare, who has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), was part of a very high profile group based in Florida and coached by the American Rana Reider, which notably includes the American Trayvon Bromell and recent Canadian Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse.

Olympic vice-champion in the length in Beijing in 2008 and world vice-champion in 2013, the Nigerian has a personal best in the 100m of 10 sec 79 (2013), a former African record.

© 2022 AFP