July 19, (THEWILL) – In the early hours of Wednesday, Tobi Amusan, the current world record holder in women’s hurdles, revealed that she had been charged with an alleged rule violation for missing three drug tests within a span of 12 months.
Taking to her Instagram account, the 26-year-old Nigerian athlete vehemently asserted her status as a clean athlete and her regular testing by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the organisation responsible for overseeing doping issues in the international track.
“I am a CLEAN athlete, and I am regularly (maybe more than usual) tested by the AIU,”
Amusan wrote in her Instagram post. She further stated her intention to contest the charge and have her case heard by a tribunal of three arbitrators before the commencement of the upcoming World Championships next month.
According to the AIU, failing to attend three tests within a 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping rule violation, with penalties including a suspension of up to two years, subject to reduction depending on the degree of fault. Exceptions may be considered in certain circumstances.
At the previous World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Amusan astounded spectators by setting a world record time of 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals of the 100-metre hurdles.
However, her subsequent gold medal-winning time of 12.06 seconds was not officially recognised due to a tailwind exceeding the permitted limit.
“When I watched the record, I was like ‘Whoa, who did that?'” Amusan expressed her reaction upon seeing her outstanding time displayed on the scoreboard.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
