Blessing Okagbare disqualified in 200 again

Blessing Okagbare, of Nigeria races in a women’s 200 meter heat at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

DOHA, Qatar —Blessing Okagbare was disqualified from the 200 meters for a second time.

Because of a mix-up by her nation’s track federation, the Nigerian sprinter was initially disqualified after she didn’t show up for the 100-meter races that she never intended to run. Only after an appeal and a long wait did Blessing find out she was back in.

But when she got to the race she was disqualified for stepping outside of her lane.

Nigeria’s track federation had entered both her and Divine Oduduru in the 100-meter races, even though neither intended to compete at that distance. When they didn’t show up, IAAF rules called for them to be disqualified from the rest of the meet, including their main events, the 200, and the 4×100 relays.

But after learning more about the mix-up, an IAAF appeals panel reinstated them.

Oduduru advanced out of the first round in the men’s race.