AIU may appeal Amusan’s clearance as delighted hurdler heads to Budapest
AIU may appeal Amusan’s clearance as delighted hurdler heads to Budapest
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the organization responsible for managing integrity matters in athletics, including both doping and non-doping issues, has expressed disappointment with the outcome of the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision regarding Tobi Amusan’s appeal against a whereabouts failures charge.
Despite Amusan’s assertion that she did not commit any anti-doping rule violation, the panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal also in a majority decision, concluded that she had not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
But Brett Clothier, the head of AIU, stated that the AIU is disappointed by this decision and intends to review the reasoning in detail before deciding whether to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the relevant deadline.
The details of the decision are currently confidential but will be made public in due course, according to AIU.
This decision could potentially create tension between the AIU and the global athletics community, as some observers have accused the AIU of targeting Amusan following her unexpected victory at the 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon last year.
In light of the decision, Amusan’s provisional suspension has been immediately lifted. As a result, the 26-year-old athlete is now cleared to compete at the 19th World Athletics Championships, which are scheduled to commence on Saturday in Budapest, Hungary.
Amusan, the world champion in the 100m hurdles, had been charged with missing three doping tests within a 12-month period last month, leaving her participation at the World Championships in doubt.
Competition in the 100m hurdles at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest is due to be held from Tuesday (August 22) to Thursday (August 24).
Amusan protested her innocence after being charged by the AIU, insisting she is a "clean athlete" and "regularly" tested.
Amusan expressed her elation at being cleared to compete.
"I am thrilled to put this behind me, and I look forward to defending my title at next week's World Championships," she wrote on Instagram.
"I generally have been and consistently will be an ally for clean sport."
Amusan had shaved 0.08sec off the 100m hurdles at last year’s World Championships in Eugene with her semi-final time of 12.12 and was one of 12 athletes who set personal bests in that stage of the event.
The now-26-year-old bettered that with a 12.06 effort in the final, but that was not ratified as a world record due to excessive tailwind.
Amusan had faced claims her Adizero Avanti Tyo Tinman Elite shoes gave her an unfair advantage, but her semi-final performance was ratified as a world record by World Athletics in September last year.
She is also a two-time Commonwealth Games champion, back-to-back African champion,
and Diamond League Final winner in the 100m hurdles.
