Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010: Osayemi to lose the Gold after
her B sample tested positive for a banned stimulant
Women’s 100m winner at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Damola Osayemi has been eventually asked to return her gold medal amid her B sample tests, which have been found positive for banned stimulant. This decision from the authorities would automatically set
her runner-up at the top, while Katherine Endacott from England who ended up fourth would eventually be entitled to the silver medal. It is worth mentioning over here that the race was won by Sally Pearson from Australia who had been eventually disqualified
for a false start.
The Australian authorities have denied accepting the disqualification of Sally Pearson and the denial of gold medal to her has become a controversial matter since last few days.
The gold medal for women’s 100m has been finally passed on to Natasha Mayers from St. Vincent and Grenadines. This would be perhaps the second ever gold medal for the country she belongs to. The bronze medal has been passed on to Delphine Atangana from Cameroon.
For Damola Osayemi, the results for her B positive were confirmed and announced by the Commonwealth Games Federation. The federation further made it clear that the documents of the athlete had been referred to International Association of Athletics Federations
for taking the final decisions regarding her future. It has been told that the association would take whatever decision it would feel appropriate with.
Giving the details of the matter an official of the commonwealth games federation told the media personnel that Osayemi’s sample was found with traces of methylhexaneamine, which is a banned stimulant for the athletes. The drug has been quite recently added
to the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The request for the B sample test was made by the 24-years old athlete herself as she was provisionally suspended after her initial tests. If Osayemi is found guilty for intentionally using the drug, the runner could be banned for two years.
Methylhexaneamine is reportedly the same drug which several Indian athletes, weightlifter, and swimmers were found to have used in September. The Indian athletes found positive for the drug consisted of Sanamacha Chanu, Richa Mishra, Jyotsana Pansare and
several others.
Meanwhile, Wada had been moved to non specified list of drugs which means that it could be used for therapeutic purposes and for which no certificate is needed.
The Indian athletes also have appealed against the ban but no verdict has surfaced yet.
According to the producers and marketers of methylhexaneamine, the drug is helpful for stimulating the central nervous system of the users. It provides instant energy boost to the body and increases the metabolic rate significantly.
The first voice in defence of Dmola Osayemi surfaced when Solomon Ogba, Nigeria’s Athletics Federation President claimed that Osayemi took the drug on the prescription of a doctor to fight the nagging toothache.
While talking to the media, the Nigerian athletics federation president said that Osayemi took the drug with the only purpose of soothing the toothache and he suspected that it was that little amount of drug which led the runner to fail the drug test.
An official of an international agency, while talking to the media, said that he was not surprised to hear that it was that particular drug which was causing problem for Osayemi. He said that the stimulant she had been caught with had been causing problems
for the athletes around the globe.
The official further said that the drug was usually used as stimulant as nasal decongestant. In the context of the commonwealth games, he said, there had been eleven Indians which have been found positive with the drug. He concluded his remarks by saying
that the drug was quite prevalent and the authorities concerned must take their decisions after keeping that factor in mind.
The independent analysts of the situation, when approached by the media reporters said
“if Osayemi can prove that she has taken the drug unconsciously and that too after the prescription of the doctor, she might escape the possible ban, but of course she has lost the medal.”
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