In a significant development related to the Okagbare Olympic doping case, a US Doctor has entered a guilty plea. Eric Lira, a naturopathic therapist based in El Paso, Texas, admitted to selling performance-enhancing pharmaceuticals to Olympic athletes, including the blacklisted Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare. As per US officials, Lira could potentially be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
The Department of Justice announced this groundbreaking verdict, highlighting that Lira is the first person found guilty under the newly enacted US legislation inspired by Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping scandals. The law, named after Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, empowers US authorities to pursue criminal charges against anyone connected to global doping fraud conspiracy.
Prior to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which were postponed due to the pandemic, it was revealed that Lira had provided Okagbare with prohibited substances. Consequently, Okagbare was expelled from the Olympics just before the women’s 100-meter semifinals after testing positive for human growth hormone in a pre-event test conducted in Slovakia. She subsequently received a ten-year suspension from the sport.
Following Lira’s guilty plea in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, US Attorney Damian Williams referred to the case as a “watershed moment for international sport.” Williams emphasized that Lira had supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic competitors seeking an unfair advantage. Such actions undermine the core purpose of the Olympic Games, which is to showcase genuine athletic achievement on a level playing field. Lira will be held accountable for her actions that aimed to disrupt this objective.
Under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, breaking the law carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Lira’s sentencing will be determined by the court at a later date, according to the statement issued by the Justice Department.