BRITISH SPRINTER BANNED FOR 22 MONTHS FOLLOWING FAILED DRUG TEST

GREAT Britain were stripped of the silver medal they won in the 4x100m relay at the 2020 Olympics

British sprinter CJ Ujah has been banned for 22 months after he tested positive for two banned substances at the Tokyo Olympics.

However, he has been cleared of intentionally taking prohibited drugs by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Britain was stripped of its Olympic men's 4x100m silver medal after Ujah tested positive for Ostarine and S-23.

The ban is backdated to August 6, 2021 and will end on June 5, 2023.

The AIU and WADA ruled that the sprinter's anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) was not intentional and it was instead a result of his ingestion of a contaminated supplement.

The applicable two-year period of ineligibility was reduced by two months on account of the 28-year-old's prompt admittance of the violation.

"In this case, after a thorough examination of the facts, we were satisfied that Ujah did indeed ingest a contaminated supplement, but he was unable to demonstrate that he was entitled to any reduction in the applicable period of ineligibility based on his level of fault," said AIU Head Brett Clothier.

Clothier added: "Taking supplements is risky for athletes as they can be contaminated or even adulterated with prohibited substances.

"Athletes owe it to their fellow competitors to be 100 percent certain before putting anything into their body. If there's the slightest doubt, leave it out."

UK Athletics (UKA) expressed its "extreme disappointment, frustration and sadness" towards Ujah's actions.

"The negligence of one individual to fulfil their commitment to clean athletics - one of the essential obligations of representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland - had a devastating impact upon the entire relay programme, but none more so than the other athletes who competed alongside Ujah in the Olympic final," added UKA. – BBC.