The B sample tests carried out on teenage Nigerian weightlifter, Chika Amalaha, have confirmed her use of banned substances.
This much was revealed by Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive, Mike Hooper, who announced what many Nigerians had feared: the follow-up examination supported the initial finding of the doping control test on Amalaha after her victory in the 52kg class at the Clyde Auditorium.
Amalaha, who won a gold medal at the ongoing Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games before testing positive for the banned drugs, now faces a hearing in front of the Commonwealth Games Federation today after she had been provisionally suspended.
The test on the 16-year-old Nigeria whose victory last Friday had brought joy to many Nigerians, revealed traces of diuretics and others regarded as masking agents.
“I can report that the analysis on the Nigerian weightlifting Chika Amalaha’s B sample has been completed, and this has confirmed the analysis and finding of the A result,” Hooper said.
“In accordance with the CGF’s anti-doping standard, the next step of the process is a formal hearing before the federation court chaired by His Royal Highness, Prince Imran. That hearing will take place this afternoon, and we will of course issue a statement on the outcomes on that hearing following the court’s decision.
“I can’t and won’t speculate on what the outcome might be. We have a robust process in place that must be followed to ensure fairness to all.”
It is not the first time Nigerian weightlifting would be enmeshed in the dirty world of drugs offences as the Nigerian Weightlifting Federation had been suspended for repeated doping violations by the International Weightlifting Federation in 2001. That ban prevented the country from competing at the trend-setting Commonwealth Games held at Manchester in 2002.
