Nijel Amos: Botswana runner receives three-year doping ban
- Published
Nijel Amos was Botswana's flag bearer at the 2016 Olympics following his silver medal in the 800m in London in 2012
Botswana's 2012 Olympic 800m silver medallist Nijel Amos has been banned from athletics for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Amos, whose silver in London was the first Olympic medal ever won by his country, was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in July 2022 after an out of competition test detected a banned metabolite in a urine sample.
At the time of the suspension, the 28-year-old was in the United States preparing for the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
The ban will end on 11 July 2025.
According to a statement released by the AIU, the metabolite, GW1516, was "originally synthesised and evaluated for the treatment of obesity, diabetes and other disorders caused by metabolic problems but is now not approved for human use."
It was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list in 2009 after its illicit use as a doping agent emerged.
Amos, who won 800m gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has had his results since 4 June 2022 disqualified.