Amusan not cleared to compete in Budapest-World Athletics

Amusan not cleared to compete in Budapest-World Athletics

The World Athletics Director of Communications Nicole Jeffery has described as fake news reports in Nigeria newspapers that Tobi Amusan has been cleared to compete at the Budapest 2023 World Championships in Athletics.

Jeffery said that no decision has been made in the case.

“But please be advised, reports appearing in Nigeria that say Tobi Amusan has been cleared to compete in Budapest are wrong.

“No decision has been made in this case yet. When a decision is made, it will be announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU)’’ said Jeffery.

 Meanwhile, athletics coaches and officials close to embattled  Amusan over weekend pleaded with those preempting  AIU that the hurdler has been cleared to compete in World Athletics Championships to desist as their fake news may affect her chances of getting a pardon.

The news of Amusan being cleared to compete at the World Championships filter in through Social Media on Friday by Saturday the mainstream media joined the bandwagon.

“As of Saturday night, we are still waiting for the verdict of AIU, I don’t know where they are getting their story from. It is shameful that some athletics journalists who have direct access to the president of AFN, the secretary-general, coaches and other officials are carrying this fake news that may affect her chances of getting a positive verdict” said one the officials.

The officials believed many probably misconstrued Amusan being listed to compete as clearance.

“Entries for the World Championships closed Thursday night, the world governing in athletics entered her presuming she may be cleared or pardoned but that does not mean she has been cleared. She faced the AIU panel on Wednesday; we hoping and praying for positive predicts this week before the championships start August 19’’.

The officials also dismissed insinuation that there is a conspiracy against Amusan because she is black,

“That’s completely false she actually made a mistake and there are consequences for such mistakes it could be as bad as two years ban from participating we are just praying and hoping that she will be pardoned”.

Continued the officials, “She is one of the athletes in World Athletics Registered Testing Pool, she knows she must do three tests annually and she knows the consequence of failure. Many Americans and Europeans have banned for two years for similar offenses so there is no conspiracy’’.