Reigning 100-meter hurdle champion and world record holder, Tobi Amusan has been cleared to compete in the highly anticipated World Athletics Championships set to begin on Saturday, 19 August 2023 in Budapest, Hungary.
An Independent Tribunal, by a majority decision, found the Nigerian athlete innocent of the allegations leveled against her by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
In a statement made via her verified Instagram handle, Amusan expressed a mixture of relief and gratitude, acknowledging the support received from fans, friends, and family throughout the challenging period.
The Nigerian sprinter affirmed her unwavering commitment to clean and fair competition, reiterating that she has always competed within the confines of the rules and regulations set forth by international sports bodies.
“This morning I found out that the Independent Tribunal that heard my case has ruled that I did not violate the whereabouts rules and as a result, I will not be sanctioned and none of my results will be precluded,” Amusan said.
“I am thrilled to put this behind me, and I look forward to defending my title at next week’s World Championships,” she continued.
Weeks ago, Amusan had insisted in an Instagram post, that she was not a drug cheat and had been sure all would be resolved before the World Championships.
The track star who recently retained her title as the national champion in Benin city for the fourth consecutive time, set a new meet record of 12.34 seconds at the Silesia Diamond League and stormed to victory at the Wanda Diamond League in July.
Athletics Integrity Unit’s statement
“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 Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said in a Thursday evening statement.
“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,” AIU said.
