Nigerian sprinter, Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha has been temporarily suspended after she tested positive for the use of banned substances by the Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU. Nwokocha, 21 run the anchor leg in Birmingham last month when Nigeria thrash England and Jamaica to emerge a gold winner. She was also part of the winning group of four of Tobi Amosun, Favour Ofili, and Rose Chukwuma who won gold in the 4x100m during the just concluded commonwealth games that took place at Birmingham.
The winning four has taken the African record of the game to another level of 42.10s to cling to what was the Nigerian 11th gold medal in Birmingham which projected the country in a good light during the games.
Nwokocha, who had also won other medals before the recent commonwealth games like a 100m, has a personal best time in the 100m of 10.97 seconds record at the last World Championship held in Eugene, Oregon, USA, she had also run a personal best of 22.44 seconds in the 200m.
According to a statement shared by the AIU on their verified Twitter, “The AIU has provisionally suspended Nigerian runner, Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha, for the Presence/Use of Prohibited Substances (Ostarine & Ligandrol) (Article 2.1 and Article 2.2),”.
Ostarine and Ligandrol are both anabolic agents prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Provisional suspension means the faith of the candidate to participate in a match has been lifted till the AIU decides the next line of action under WADA rules.
Nwokocha qualified for last year’s Tokyo Olympics, she also secured a 100m and 200m at the world championships in Eugene this year where she made both to the semi-finals.
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