'End Of The Line, So Sad' - Blessing Okagbare breaks thousands of Nigerian hearts following 10-year doping ban

Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been hit with a ten-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for multiple doping violations of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rule.

Following the announcement on Friday, an official statement from the AIU read:

“The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare for a total of 10 years, five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances, and five years for her refusal to co-operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case.

"The sole arbitrator adjudicating the case concluded that the athlete’s use of multiple prohibited substances as part of an organised doping regimen in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games was egregious conduct that amounted to aggravating circumstances under the Rules thereby warranting an additional period of ineligibility on top of the standard four-year sanction.

"The sole arbitrator also recognised the AIU’s right to carry out investigations, including the imaging of electronic devices, and to impose sanctions when an athlete refuses to co-operate with an investigation and thereby frustrates the AIU’s ability to fulfil its mandate to protect the integrity of the sport of athletics.

In this instance, the sole arbitrator concluded that the athlete’s refusal to cooperate had denied the AIU the opportunity to discover evidence of possible further rule violations by her as well possible violations of the rules by others, for which he imposed an additional sanction of five years.''

The 33-year-old Okagbare was born in Sapele, Delta State and had won silver medals in the Long Jump at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.

She also set a Commonwealth Games record of 10.85 for the women's 100m at Glasgow 2014 and was arguably one of the most successful female athletes in Nigeria.

Okagbare has also announced via her official Twitter page that she would appeal the panel's decision in a post that read: 'My attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the AIU regarding its disciplinary panel decision. My lawyers are currently studying it for our next line of action which we will inform you soon'.

However, Nigerians on social media have been sent into a state of meltdown after news of her doping ban broke out on Friday evening.

Here are some of the reactions on Twitter below: