Amusan ‘free’ as AIU’ fails to appeal within stipulated period

[FILE] Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan reacts after the women’s 100m hurdles semi-final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 23, 2023. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)

• World Record Holder Focused On Oregon 2023 Diamond League

The 30-day period of appeal open to the Athletic Integrity Unit (AIU) to contest World Athletics’ lifting of the provisional ban on Tobi Amusan elapsed yesterday. This means the Nigerian, who holds the world record in 100 metres women hurdles, is free to continue on er career.

The suspension on Amusan was lifted two days to the Budapest 2023 World Championships by a three-man panel set up by World Athletics to review the AIU action. But the AIU expressed its disappointment with the verdict and vowed to 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 Head, Brett Clothier, also indicated the Monaco-based body would appeal the decision. The deadline has now expired. AIU’s David Howman also told reporters at the last World Athletics Championships in Budapest: “We have some concern that it might set a precedent which will be difficult for future.”

With the expiration of the deadline yesterday, Amusan is now a free athlete. She is already in Oregon to battle for the top prize in the lucrative Diamond League final.

It was not clear, yesterday, if the Ogun State-born Amusan will seek legal action against AIU for the suspension, which destabilised her preparation for Budapest 2023, where she finished sixth in the 100m hurdles final.

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