Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan cleared to compete at World Championships
The provisional ban slammed on Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for missing three whereabouts tests within 12 months has been upturned having been able to prove her innocence before the panel of Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU)
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had on 19 July, 2023 announced the athlete provisional ban, but she vowed to challenge the decision along with her legal team, having insisted she was clean and had nothing to hide.
The case of Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m hurdles event was argued before the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) panel on Wednesday after an exhaustive session, and was cleared of the accusation.
Penpushing further reports that the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in a statement issued on Thursday night stated that a panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal has found out that the Nigerian world athlete has not committed any offence accused her of
‘A panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal, by majority decision, has today found that Tobi Amusan has not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period’, the panel wrote.
‘AIU Head Brett Clothier has indicated the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is disappointed by this decision and will review the reasoning in detail before deciding whether to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the applicable deadline’.
‘The decision is currently confidential but will be published in due course. Amusan’s provisional suspension has now been lifted with immediate effect.” the statement declared.
Penpushing also reports that with this new development Amusan has the go-ahead to defend her world title at the World Athletics Championships billed for Budapest, Hungary, from 19-27 August, 2023
The panel decision has, however, put an end to fear of many people following many days of silence from both the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and Amusan’s camp, and it has brought a great sense of relief after the decision from the panel which was made public on Thursday.
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that Amusan at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon Eugene, stunned fans and opponents alike when she broke the world record in the 100m hurdles semi-finals in a time that was the largest improvement for a world record in the event in 42 years.
The Nigerian then ran a faster time in the final 90 minutes later, only for an illegal wind to make it illegible, and interestingly, Amusan has suggested that it’s not impossible to break her 100m Hurdles World Record (WR) again.
Penpushing further reports that the World Athletics Instagram page, in a post in June 2023, where she was seen training and preparing for the Golden Spikes meet in Ostrava, Amusan declared she could still break her World Record.
The Nigerian world athletic champion popularly called Tobi Express by her fans expressed optimism emphasizing that she is a big believer in the Bible; and that nothing is impossible, adding that 11 seconds is most definitely.
Penpushing also reports that if she successfully does this, she will become the first woman ever to run a sub-12s time in the women’s 100m Hurdles, which would be an unarguable claim to the greatest of all time in the event.
The findings, however, showed that initial provisional ban may have effect on her preparations in the build-up to Budapest, while some feel the uncertainties in the past days are capable of negatively affecting her, some others feel it could even be the needed tonic for her to shame critics and those hoping for her downfall.
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