TOKYO — Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare was disqualified from competing in the Olympic Games Saturday after testing positive for human growth hormone in the first failed drug test of these Games.
The announcement by the Athletics Integrity Unit, which handles anti-doping for track’s worldwide governing body, came just hours after she won her Olympic 100 meter heat Friday night and with Okagbare scheduled to compete in the 200 semifinals Saturday night.
The positive results for Okagbare, an Olympic silver medalist in the long jump, were from a no advance notice, out-of-competition test conducted on July 19, AIU said.
Nigerian track and field athletes have been at the center of controversy this month. Ten Nigerians were among 18 athletes banned from competing in Tokyo by the AIU for not meeting out-of-competition testing requirements.