The Athletics Integrity Unit, the body created by World Athletics to manage all integrity issues – both doping and non-doping – for the sport of athletics has said it would appeal Nigerian track queen, Tobi Amusan’s clearance to the Sport for Arbitration.
The body also expressed disappointment at the panel of Disciplinary Tribunal set up to look into Tobi Amusan’s appeal following a whereabouts failures charge for absolving the Nigerian of any crime.
Recall that the panel, on Thursday by majority decision, found that Amusan has not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
The panel consequently cleared Amusan of doping violations with the provisional suspension on her lifted.
This decision, according to the AIU, was not what was expected despite the Nigerian’s insistence that she did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.
AIU Head Brett Clothier, according to a statement on the body’s official website, has indicated ‘the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is disappointed by this decision.’
Clothier stated that the AIU “will review the reasoning in detail before deciding whether to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the applicable deadline.”
AIU says the decision is ‘currently confidential but will be published in due course’.
The decision may put the AIU on collission course with many athletics watchers across the globe who have accused the body of deliberate witch-hunt of the Nigerian following her surprise win in Oregon last year at the 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships.
Meanwhile, the body says Amusan’s provisional suspension has now been lifted with immediate effect.
The 26 year old can now compete at the 19th World Athletics Championships which start on Saturday in Budapest, Hungary.
