Decision rendered by the CAS ADD - Chijindu Ujah (athletics)

Press Release

18th February 2022

The Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) has issued the following decision today in relation to the British sprinter Chijindu Ujah:

Chijindu Ujah (the Athlete) is found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) pursuant to Article 2.1 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules (IOC ADR) applicable to the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020.
Chijindu Ujah is sanctioned with the disqualification of his results in the 4 x 100m sprint relay Final on 6 August 2021, and his results in the 100m sprint – together with the forfeiture of any medals, diplomas, points and prizes in accordance with Article 10.1 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules for the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.
The Great Britain men’s sprint relay team results in the 4 x 100m sprint relay Final on 6 August
2021 are disqualified together with the forfeiture of any medals, diplomas, points and prizes in
accordance with Article 11.3 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules for the Tokyo Olympic Games
2020.
World Athletics (WA) is requested to consider any further action within its own jurisdiction and
pursuant to its own Rules including the determination of any period of ineligibility

On 6 August 2021, following the Final of the 4x100m sprint relay, the Athlete underwent an in-competition doping control. Analysis of his sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substances enobosarm (ostarine) and S-23, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMS) which are prohibited by WADA at all times

On 12 August 2021, the International Testing Agency (ITA), acting on behalf of the IOC, formally notified the Athlete of the AAF and he was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The Bsample analysis requested by the Athlete confirmed the A-sample analysis and the ITA referred the matter to the CAS ADD for determination on the ADRV and the imposition of consequences under the IOC ADR.

Following an exchange of written submissions in which the Athlete did not challenge the ADRV but argued that he had not knowingly or intentionally doped, suggesting that the source of the prohibited substances could have been the ingestion of a contaminated supplement, the CAS ADD Sole Arbitrator issued the present decision in which she determined, to her comfortable satisfaction, that an ADRV had been committed by the Athlete contrary to Article 2.1 of the IOC ADR.

Turning to the consequences, the Athlete was sanctioned in accordance with Article 10.1 of the IOC ADR with the disqualification of his results in the 4 x 100m sprint relay Final on 6 August 2021, and his results in the 100m sprint. In addition, and in accordance with Article 11.3 of the IOC ADR, the Great Britain men’s sprint relay team results in the 4 x 100m sprint relay Final on 6 August 2021 were also disqualified, together with the forfeiture of any medals, diplomas, points and prizes. WA is requested to consider any further action within its own jurisdiction and pursuant to its own Rules including the determination of any period of ineligibility.

The original publication can be found here.

Tuesday, 12 April 2022