Less than a week before the start of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, the world 100m hurdles champion and planet record holder Tobi Amusan is awaiting a decision from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on an alleged breach of her whereabouts.
The Nigerian athlete announced last month that she had been formally charged by the AIU with failing three doping tests in a 12-month period, allegations she vehemently denies. However, Tobi Amusan was named in the final list of participants for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The Nigerian was granted permission to be included in the list after the cut-off date.
This means she will be cleared to compete in Budapest if the AIU rules in her favor and she is not penalized for the three missed tests within 12 months.
According to Nigerian media, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) technical director Samuel Onikeku said the decision could be made in the next few days.
“We are waiting for AIU’s decision and it will be before the start of the championship. Once acquitted, we believe she should compete. We believe that in the next six days we should get the decision”, said Samuel Onikeku.
Tobi Amusan is the current World, Commonwealth and African champion in the 100m hurdles, as well as the meet record holder in those three competitions. She became the first ever Nigerian world champion and world record holder in an athletics event when she won the 2022 World Championships 100m hurdles gold medal, setting the current world record of 12.12 sec in the semi-final, followed up by a 12.06 sec in the final. Tobi Amusan won back-to-back Commonwealth and African titles in 2018 and 2022 in the 100m hurdles and is also a two-time African Games champion in the event. She is also the current Diamond league champion in the 100m hurdles having won the final in 12.29 sec winning back to back titles in 2022 and 2023.
