Botswana athletics has been dealt a further blow after 800m athlete, Nijel Amos was suspended ahead of the World Championships for testing positive for a banned substance.
This bring to two, in a space of one week, the number of Botswana athletes who have violated anti-doping rules.
While authorities are yet to confirm, Mmegi Sport can reveal long and triple jumper, Thalosang Tshireletso is the other athlete who tested positive and was suspended over the weekend. This followed tests conducted during a local competition in April. Tshireletso became the first Motswana to win a gold medal in long jump at the 2022 Africa Senior Championships. He also bagged a silver medal in the triple jump at the same competition and had qualified for World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
However, the biggest shock has been Amos' test with the Athletics Integrity Unit confirming in a statement on Tuesday, the Botswana athlete was provisionally suspended with immediate effect. " An out-of-competition test sample which was collected from the athlete tested positive to Metabolites of GW1516, a prohibited substance under WADA 2022 prohibited list," AIU statement reads. Amos was already in Oregon, in the United States where he was due to compete at the World Championships and was duly notified of the positive test result. The banned substance poses a health risk to athletes, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency, and “modifies how the body metabolizes fat."
Amos, in a brief comment on his social media page, said he was aware of the developments and would cooperate with authorities.
"I have been made aware of an adverse finding in my sample taken the day before the Rabat Diamond League race on the 4th of June 2022. I am currently investigating what may have caused this positive test and fully cooperating with the relevant authorities to reach a resolution. Further information shall follow in due time," Amos said
