Stawell Gift winner Olufemi Komolafe has been stripped of his title after testing positive for a substance contained in ADHD medication and has been banned from competing for 12 months.
The 21-year-old medical student from Adelaide must also return the $40,000 winner’s cheque following the result at the prestigious Australian footrace.
Komolafe had won the 144th Stawell Gift from a five-metre handicap in 11.93 seconds, finishing ahead of Jake Ireland and Dutch hurdler Liam van der Schaaf. Ireland has since been retrospectively declared the winner.
The ban was reduced from four years after it was accepted that Komolafe did not know the substance was contained in his medication. He had also told testers on the day that he was taking the ADHD pills.
His coach, Paul Young, who won the Stawell Gift in 1985, said Komolafe had begun taking the medication on the advice of his sister, a doctor, to help him with his university studies.
Komolafe is barred from running until July 2 next year. His disqualification has sent shockwaves through the historic event, while the Ireland family’s long pursuit of the Stawell Gift has ended with Jake’s retrospective victory after his father, Todd, made three appearances in the race over a 40-year period.
