Track and Field: With Victoria Ohuruogu Cleared of Doping Violations, a Look At Three Other Athletes Who Faced the Same Controversy

Victoria Ohuruogu can now focus on her Olympic dreams more. Ohuruogu, who is a British sprinter, was allegedly banned for having contact with a banned athlete. However, after investigations, the 31-year-old sprinter has finally breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, even though the athlete has been cleared, she has expressed her dissatisfaction over such false allegations. 

However, the recent to and fro has reportedly diverted her attention from her Olympic training. Incidentally, the allegation also saw the athlete sit out of Budapest in 2023 despite clinching the 4x400m relay bronze at the 2022 World and European championships. 

Victoria Ohuruogu breathes a sigh of relief

Ohuruogu was accused of violating the anti-doping policies after she was found training with her boyfriend, Antonio Infantino, who is currently serving his doping ban. However, after a thorough investigation of the same, the UK Anti Doping Panel(UKAD) cleared the athlete of the charges, stating that the evidence against Ohuruogu was “not satisfactory”. For the uninitiated, the entire fiasco started after Ohuruogu was seen with Infantino, an athlete suspended for doping for three years. 

As per the rules, an athlete cannot come into proximity with any banned athletes in a professional space. Reflecting on the matter, the 31-year-old stated, “I can confirm that an independent panel has emphatically dismissed the charge of prohibited association against me, finding that it was ‘not satisfied, let alone comfortably satisfied’ that I have broken any rules.” 

Ohuruogu also seemed heavily disturbed by the constant negative media attention she received. She stressed the fact that the allegations were serious and affected her personal relationships too. Ohuruogu also spoke about doubting herself, explaining the extent of mental damage the accusations did. However, Ohuruogu was not the only one to be accused of violating anti-doping policies and then cleared. 

Christian Coleman and more were cleared of similar charges

As legendary a name Christian Coleman is in the modern-day track and field realm, he too, had to face doping accusations. Back in 2019, Coleman was alleged to be taking banned substances after he missed as many as three doping tests. Although Coleman denied the allegations throughout, the USADA dropped the charges. It was found that the dates mentioned on the report did not match the real occurrences and hence, the charges stood void. 

Similarly, World Hurdles champion Tobi Amusan found himself in an identical situation back in 2023. It was alleged that the Nigerian athlete missed his doping tests thrice in a year, resulting in disciplinary actions. However, after a great deal of research, the AIU could not confirm the allegations and thus, cleared Amusan of the charges. Thus, with such cases clearly showing the power of honesty, it will now be up to these three athletes to go out and conquer the athletic world to bask in its serene glory. 

Continue to Read: Another Cyclist Fails Doping Test Taking the Count to 4 at Asian Games