Nigerian sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, has been banned for an overall of 10 years for multiple breaches of anti-doping guidelines, the Athletics Integrity Unit(

AIU)stated on Friday. Okagbare, who has an Olympic silver medal in the long jump from the 2008 Beijing Games, was provisionally suspended prior to the 100 metres semi-finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2015.

An AIU declaration said the sole arbitrator adjudicating the case concluded that Okagbare’s “usage of multiple forbidden compounds” was “part of an organised doping regimen in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.”

This “egregious conduct” caused an increase in the regular four-year sanction.

The 33-year-old, who rejected all charges, was offered a five-year ban for returning doping tests positive for EPO along with Human Growth Hormone.

She was then handed an additional five-year restriction for declining to cooperate with an AIU examination.

“We invite the choice of the Disciplinary Tribunal. A ban of 10 years is a strong message against deliberate and coordinated efforts to cheat at the really highest level of our sport,” said AIU chief Brett Clothier.

“This is an outcome that was driven by our intelligence-led target screening in addition to our dedication to investigate the situations behind a positive test.”

Recall that Okagbare was suspended during the Tokyo Olympics after failing a drug test.