Chika Amalaha, Nigeria’s gold-medal winning weightlifter at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has been provisionally suspended for failing an in-competition dope test.
The 16-year-old, who won the women’s 53kg competition on Friday, lifting a combined 196kg, provided an ‘A’ sample on Friday, July 25, 2014 shortly after winning the medal, which revealed traces of diuretics and masking agents.
The allegation was made by Mike Hooper, Chief Executive, Commonwealth Games Federation, who confirmed that the athlete has pursued her right to have her ‘B’ sample tested.
“We [have] issued a formal notice of disclosure to an athlete following an adverse analytical finding as a consequence of an in-competition test. That athlete is Nigerian weightlifter Chika Amalaha who was tested on July 25. That athlete has now been suspended from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,” Hooper said.
A final decision on Amalaha would be taken on Wednesday, July 30 when the results of the ‘B’ sample due to be taken at an accredited laboratory in London are released.
The incident has put a dent on the image of Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games team in Glasgow, who already boast ten medals at the competition.
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