Athletics - B-sample confirms doping suspicion against British sprinters

LONDON (AP) – The British 4x100m relay has been threatened with withdrawal of its silver medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo due to a doping scandal.

As announced by the International Testing Agency (ITA) on 14 September, the B-sample confirmed the suspicion of doping in runner Chijindu Ujah. The 27-year-old athlete had tested positive for two substances that are similar in effect to anabolic and androgenic steroids.

The B sample confirmed the A sample’s result, Ita announced. The matter was therefore referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 8 September, which is now to decide on the return of the silver medal. The matter will then be referred to the Athletics Integrity Unit of the World Athletics Federation, which will decide on the suspension of UJAH.

The runner himself had denied a doping offense and requested the opening of the B sample. “To be absolutely clear, I am not a fraud,” he said in a statement. UJAH is temporarily banned. His fellow squadrons Nathaniel Mitchell-Blake, Richard Kilty and Jarnell Hughes also lost the silver medal due to a doping case. In the event of a subsequent disqualification, Canada would advance to silver behind Italy and China to bronze. The German quartet would then be fifth instead of sixth.