CJ Ujah: British sprinter 'shocked and devastated' after positive drugs test

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CJ Ujah running in the men's 4x100m relay in TokyoImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Ujah ran the opening leg for Great Britain in the men's 4x100m relay on 6 August

Olympic silver medallist CJ Ujah has denied wrongdoing and said he is "shocked and devastated" after a positive drugs test.

Ujah, 27, ran the first leg as Great Britain's 4x100m men's relay team narrowly missed out on gold in Tokyo.

He has been provisionally suspended after a test showed the "presence/use" of two prohibited substances.

"To be absolutely clear, I am not a cheat," said Ujah in a statement to the PA news agency on Saturday.

"I have never and would never knowingly take a banned substance."

Ujah was informed on Thursday of an "adverse analytical finding" - the presence/use of prohibited substances ostarine and S-23, which are selective androgen receptor modulators and help with building muscle.

If the case against him is proved, the British relay quartet - also including Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake - are likely to be stripped of their silver medals.

In his statement, Ujah said: "It's taken me a few days to process the information I received on Thursday, shortly before it was made public.

"I am completely shocked and devastated by this news.

"I love my sport and I know my responsibilities both as an athlete and as a team-mate.

"I am respecting the formal processes and will not be making any further comment until it is appropriate to do so."

The British sprinters lost out by just one hundredth of a second as they were beaten by the Italian team.

Ujah can request analysis of his B sample. Should that confirm the adverse analytical finding, the case will be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Media caption,

Tokyo Olympics: GB win silver in thrilling men's 4x100 relay final