Botswana’s Olympic 800m silver medallist from London 2012 is given ban after testing positive for prohibited substance

Nijel Amos, the joint-third fastest 800m runner in history, will miss next year’s Olympics in Paris after receiving a three-year ban.

The 29-year-old Botswanan tested positive for metabolites of GW1516, a metabolic modulator that has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2009, in an out-of-competition test last June. Amos was subsequently suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit.

After an investigation by the AIU, he will now serve a ban.

“The athlete [Amos] has failed to demonstrate that the anti-doping rule violations were not intentional,” a statement by the AIU read.

Amos admitted to the charge so received a reduction on the standard four-year ban. It ends on July 11, 2025, meaning he could return to the World Championships in Tokyo.

All of his results since June 4, 2022 will be nulled. The disqualification period does not therefore include his Olympic silver and Commonwealth gold medal from 2012 and 2014 respectively.

The AIU has banned Nijel Amos (Botswana) for 3 years, from 12 July 2022, for the presence/use of a Prohibited Substance (GW1516). DQ results since 4 June 2022.

Details here: https://t.co/JCHOegt33F pic.twitter.com/fiIqs7Ezsh

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) May 3, 2023

Amos holds the record for the fastest losing time in an 800m race, when his 1:41.73 – which puts him joint third on the all-time list with Sebastian Coe – wasn’t enough to stop David Rudisha at London 2012. Rudisha clocked a stunning world record of 1:40.91, a mark that no one has got close to since.

Amos was 18 when he ran his 1:41.73 in London and it still stands as the world under-20 record.

The Botswanan also finished eighth in the Olympic 800m final in Tokyo.