British relay team stripped of Tokyo Olympic silver medal after failed drugs test

Britain has been stripped of their Tokyo 2020 men’s 4x100m silver medal following the confirmation of an athletes’s Anti-Doping violation.

Britain has been stripped of their Tokyo 2020 men’s 4x100m silver medal following the confirmation of CJ Ujah’s Anti-Doping violation.

Ujah, 27, tested positive for two SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) after the race, The Sun reports.

The banned substances discovered in his system were enobosarm (Ostarine) and S-23, anabolic agents which help build muscle.

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The sprinter was handed a provisional suspension pending the outcome of an investigation by the Athletics Integrity Unit and a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

But the Londoner and teammates Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Richard Kilty and Zharnel Hughes have all lost their medals following the CAS’ ruling that he did commit a violation.

An excerpt of a press release from CAS read: “Chijindu Ujah is found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation pursuant to Article 2.1 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020.

“Chijindu Ujah is sanctioned with the disqualification of his results in the 4x100m 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.”

Browning raced against Australian sprinter Roham Browning in heat seven of the 100m preliminary round in Tokyo.

CJ Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Great Britain with their silver medals. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

Ujah did not contest the findings of the investigation but vehemently denied “knowingly or intentionally” doping.

And he blamed the discovery of the prohibited agents in his system on the “ingestion of a contaminated supplement”.

The British star said: “I accept the decision issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport today with sadness. I would like to make it clear that I unknowingly consumed a contaminated supplement and this was the reason why an anti-doping rule violation occurred at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“I sincerely regret that this has inadvertently led to the forfeiture of the men’s 4x100m relay team’s Olympic silver medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“I would like to apologise to my teammates, their families and support teams for the impact which this has had on them.

“I’m sorry that this situation has cost my teammates the medals they worked so hard and so long for, and which they richly deserved. That is something I will regret for the rest of my life.

Chijindu Ujah of Enfield. Photo by Barrington Coombs – British Athletics/British Athletics via Getty Images

“I would also like to apologise to both British Athletics and Team GB. British Athletics has supported the relay athletes for years and this has been difficult for everyone involved in the program.

“Representing my country at a second Olympic Games surpassed my childhood sporting ambitions and I will forever be devastated that this situation has marred the success achieved by the men’s 4 x 100 relay team in Tokyo.

“Now that the IOC proceedings have concluded before CAS, my focus is on the forthcoming proceedings before World Athletics and I will therefore not be making any further comment until those separate proceedings have concluded.”

As a result of the ruling, Canada’s bronze medal will be upgraded to silver and China will move from fourth place into the bronze medal position.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as British relay team stripped of Tokyo Olympic silver medal after failed drugs test