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Nigeria’s long-distance runner Blessing Solomon has been banned from athletics for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance at the Abuja Premium Trust Half Marathon.
The ban was confirmed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). In a ruling issued from its Monaco headquarters, the AIU stated that the 28-year-old committed anti-doping rule violations after Trimetazidine was detected in a urine sample collected during the race on December 6, 2025.
The sample, coded 1701980, was analysed by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland, which reported an adverse analytical finding on January 20. The AIU confirmed that Solomon did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the substance, and that there were no irregularities in testing or laboratory procedures.
She was notified of the charge and provisionally suspended on February 5, 2026. The AIU classified her violation under Rule 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance) and Rule 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance) of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.
Solomon responded within the allowed timeframe, admitting the violation but claiming she did not know how Trimetazidine entered her system. She signed an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form on February 11.
Trimetazidine is a non-specified substance under Category S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) of the 2025 WADA Prohibited List, banned at all times in and out of competition. Because she could not prove the violation was unintentional, the standard four-year ban applied. However, her early admission earned a one-year reduction, resulting in a three-year ban effective from February 5, 2026.
The AIU also disqualified all results from December 6, 2025, including titles, prizes, and appearance fees. While the decision is final at the AIU level, it may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by the athlete, WADA, or Nigerian anti-doping authorities. Solomon will be ineligible to compete until February 2029, underscoring the strict enforcement of global anti-doping regulations.
