Athletics
Athletics Integrity Unit still hunts Tobi Amusan!
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Reigning women’s 100-metres hurdles champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria is still being hunted by the Athletics Integrity Unit despite World Athletics’ lifting of a provisional suspension imposed on her last month.
Amusan, who came first in the two races she has had so far at the championships going on in Budapest, has not been able to match her world record winning time of 12.12seconds.
In the semi finals on Wednesday, she returned after 12.56 seconds which was even slower that the 12.48 at the previous day’s race.
The time placed her seventh among the eight runners for the final race this Thursday night.
She set the world record in the semi-finals of last year’s world championships.
But the AIU appears bent on not giving her a respite. Amusan could still face an appeal that could potentially reinstate the ban.
According to a Reuters report, Amusan may have been battling with psephological issues since her suspension was lifted a week ago.
“I’m just thankful I’m here in Budapest and able to race, using my talent,” Amusan reportedly said. “It has not been the best but I’m here. I tried to stay as relaxed as possible and do what my coach tells me. So here I am.”
Amusan’s presence at the global showpiece was a surprise, with her suspension lifted just two days before the meet began.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) provisionally suspended the Nigerian last month due to three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period, but the decision was overturned by the AIU’s disciplinary tribunal panel.
Her announcement in Tuesday’s heat received a mix of cheers with a smattering of boos.
The details of her case will soon be published on the AIU’s website, chair David Howman told reporters.
The AIU have 30 days to decide whether or not to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“We have some concern that it might set a precedent which will be difficult for future cases,” Howman said.
“So the job we will undertake is to get an independent review of the decision, to determine whether we should consider appealing and then as a board we have to decide whether we will take that step.”
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and WADA.
The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.
Here is the full statement of CAS.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by
World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).
Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.
The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month
period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.
The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.
Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.
She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.
The athlete was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.
The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.
CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”
Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.
She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.
World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.
An elated Nigeria’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan has thanked God for her success in an appeal filled against her by the Athletics Integrity Unit of the World Athletics.
Had the appeal been upheld, ,Amusan would have has to miss the Paris 2024 Olymoics.
“It’s ALL GOD” Amusan said in an Instagram post alongside the court’s announcement.
Amusan, who broke the world record during her semi-final race at the 2022 world championships, is a hot favourite in her signature event at the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.
World Athletics and WADA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
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