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Great Britain stripped of Tokyo Olympics 4x100m silver medal as Chijindu Ujah doping violation upheld

The prohibited substances ostarine and S-23 were found in Chijindu Ujah's samples following the relay final. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

Great Britain has been stripped of its men's 4x100m relay silver medal from last August's Tokyo Olympic Games following the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upholding Chijindu Ujah's anti-doping rule violation.

Ujah has been provisionally suspended since ostarine and S-23 — both substances prohibited by world anti-doping organisation WADA — were detected in his A and B samples following the final.

CAS said in a statement its anti-doping division had found that Ujah had committed an anti-doping rule violation and his team's result from the 4x100m relay on August 6 had been disqualified.

Ujah and his teammates Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake finished second behind Italy. Canada will now be upgraded to silver and China to bronze.

CAS acknowledged that Ujah had not challenged the decision in his written submissions to the hearing and that he claimed he had "not knowingly or intentionally doped".

The 27-year-old, who must now wait for the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to determine the length of any ban, which could be as long as four years, said he was devastated.

Great Britain's 4x100m mens relay team had placed second behind Italy in Tokyo. (Getty Images: Christian Petersen)

"I unknowingly consumed a contaminated supplement and this was the reason why an anti-doping rule violation occurred at the Tokyo Olympic Games," Ujah said in a statement issued by UK Athletics (UKA)  on Friday.

A spokesperson said UKA would not comment on the case until the World Athletics/AIU process had been completed.

The British Olympic Association apologised to the athletes who were upgraded to the silver and bronze medal positions.

"Having spent the last few years retrospectively awarding numerous British athletes with medals they should have won on the day at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Sochi 2014, we understand first-hand the hurt and loss doping can cause," it said in a statement.

"We unreservedly apologise to the athletes whose moment was lost in Tokyo due to the actions of Ujah."

In Tokyo, Great Britain failed to win a gold medal in track and field events for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

ABC/Reuters

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