Nigeria: Blessing Solomon Banned Three Years for Failed Drugs Test

Nigeria's long-distance runner Blessing Solomon has been banned from athletics for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance at the Abuja Premium Trust Half Marathon, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has confirmed.

In a ruling issued from its Monaco headquarters, the AIU stated that the 28-year-old committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations after Trimetazidine was detected in a urine sample collected during the race on December 6, 2025.

The sample, coded 1701980, was analysed by a laboratory accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Lausanne, Switzerland, which reported an Adverse Analytical Finding on January 20.

The AIU confirmed that Solomon did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the substance, and there were no irregularities in testing or laboratory procedures that could explain the positive result.

She was notified of the charge and provisionally suspended on February 5. The AIU classified her violation under Rule 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance) and Rule 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance) of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.

Solomon responded within the allowed timeframe, admitting the violation but stating she did not know how Trimetazidine entered her system. She signed an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form on February 11.

Trimetazidine is a non-specified substance under category S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) of the 2025 WADA Prohibited List, banned at all times in and out of competition. As she failed to prove the violation was unintentional, the standard four-year ban applied. However, her early admission allowed a one-year reduction, resulting in a three-year ban effective from February 5, 2026.

The AIU also disqualified all results from December 6, 2025, including any titles, prizes, or appearance fees. While final at the AIU level, the decision may still be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the athlete, WADA, or Nigerian anti-doping authorities. Solomon will be ineligible to compete until February 2029, highlighting the strict enforcement of global anti-doping regulations.

Read the original article on Daily Trust.