Oluwatobiloba Amusan has vowed to contest and clear her name of all charges before next month’s World Athletics Championship in Budapest after being suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for skipping drug tests.
She is a clean athlete who undergoes regular testing by the AIU, claims Amusan.
The 26-year-old athlete intends to defend her championship at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest later this month.
Recall that Amusan disclosed on Wednesday morning that she had been accused of breaking a regulation after skipping three drug tests in the previous 12 months.
“Today the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has charged me with an alleged rule violation for having 3 missed tests in 12 months. I am a CLEAN athlete, and I am regularly (maybe more than usual) tested by the AIU.
“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.” she posted on her Instagram account.
Athletes who skip tests during a 12-month period are considered to have violated anti-doping rule, and the punishment includes a two-year suspension, which may be reduced to a minimum of one year based on the severity of the offence.
A two-year suspension can be imposed after three failed drug tests, while there are some exceptions for special situations.
Revealing her surprise at the sight of the scoreboard, Amusan exclaimed: “When I watched the record, I was like, ‘Whoa, who did that?”
At the 2017 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Amusan put up an outstanding performance and set the women’s 100-meter hurdles world record of 12.12 seconds. She then won the event in a record-breaking 12.06 seconds, but that time was not recorded due to an excessive tailwind.
In addition, she successfully defended her Diamond League championship during a record-breaking season in which she also won the Nigerian, African, Commonwealth, World, and Diamond League titles while setting a new Games record of 12.30 seconds.
