England women’s relay team upgraded to Commonwealth Games gold after Nigeria doping violation

LONDON – England’s 4x100 metres women’s relay team have been upgraded to 2022 Commonwealth Games gold after original winners Nigeria were disqualified because of a doping violation, it was announced on Friday.

The English quartet of Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Bianca Williams and Daryll Neita finished second in Birmingham last August.

However, the Commonwealth Games Federation announced that Nigeria sprinter Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha had returned an adverse finding in her sample for two banned anabolic agents.

Nwokocha’s results from the 100m, 200m and relay have been declared void, with the issue of her anti-doping infractions passed on to the Athletics Integrity Unit for any possible further sanctions.

England’s promotion to gold means they have retained the Commonwealth relay title, with Jamaica awarded second place and Australia the bronze.

Ashleigh Nelson, who ran in the heats, will also receive a gold medal as a member of the England relay squad.

“Our team really deserves it as we work hard to achieve these medals,” Neita said on Team England’s website.

““It is a bittersweet feeling, now finding out we won gold.

“It feels amazing. However, it remains unknown as to what it would have felt like in the moment, with the home crowd celebrating that win in Birmingham.”

Meanwhile, female transgender riders who transitioned after male puberty will be prohibited from women’s events in all categories of cycling, the sport’s governing body said on Friday.

In 2022, top British women’s cyclists threatened to boycott events after 22-year-old Emily Bridges, who was dropped by the British academy programme as a male rider, attempted to join the women’s omnium team.

But it was the victory of female American transgender cyclist Austin Killips in an International Cycling Union (UCI) women’s event two months ago in Mexico that prompted the governing body to reopen consultation on the issue.

The UCI’s president David Lappartient said the federation “has a duty to guarantee, above all, equal opportunities for all competitors in cycling competitions”.

The new rules, which will come into force on Monday, follow similar rulings by other Olympic sports such as athletics and swimming.

“The UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling – as a competitive sport, leisure activity or means of transport – is open to everyone,” Lappartient said in a statement.

But the current state of scientific knowledge does not guarantee such equality of opportunity between transgender female athletes and cisgender female participants, he added.

“As a precautionary measure, (it is not possible to) authorise the former to race in the female categories,” Lappartient added. AFP