NIGERIAN sprinter, Tobi Amusan, the 100m women’s hurdles world record-holder, is facing a two years ban over alleged violation of anti-doping rules.

Amusan, on Wednesday, July 19, revealed she has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for missing three tests in 12 months.

“Today the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has charged me with an alleged rule violation for having 3 missed tests in 12 months,” she said in a post on Instagram.

However, she denied taking performance enhancements.

“I am a clean athlete, and I am regularly; (maybe more than the usual) tested by the AIU – I was tested within days of my third ‘missed test.”

The charge has cast doubts over her participation in next month’s world championships in Budapest, Romania. But Amusan said she will fight the charge.

“I intend to fight this charge and will have my case decided by a tribunal of 3 arbitrators before the start of next month’s World Championships.

“I have faith that this will be resolved in my favour and that I will be competing at the World Championships in August.”

The penalty for having 3 missed tests in 12 months

According to the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, athletes have to submit their whereabouts by the required deadline.

Also, under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, the applicable sanction for three ‘whereabouts’ failures is two years ineligibility, subject to a reduction to a minimum of one year depending on an athlete’s degree of fault.

The world athletics regulatory body has a three-strikes rule that states that if an athlete does not provide accurate whereabouts information for a doping test they may incur a declaration of a missed test, or a filing failure. Three strikes in a 12-month period is an anti-doping violation.

What is Whereabouts in athletics?

According to Global Sports Advocates, athletes must file quarterly whereabouts updates that provide information about their training locations, competitions, regularly scheduled activities, overnight locations, and a daily 60-minute window where they will be available for testing. This information must be updated on a timely basis when an athlete’s schedule changes.

Deadlines for whereabouts submissions are as follows:

Quarter 1 deadline is December 15.

Quarter 2 deadline is March 15.

Quarter 3 deadline is June 15.

Quarter 4 deadline is September 15.