Athletics Integrity Unit - The African Mirror

Feb

2024

Kenya’s Sarah Chepchirchir gets 8-year ban for second doping violation

KENYA'S Sarah Chepchirchir has been hit with an eight-year ban after the former Tokyo Marathon winner was found to have violated anti-doping regulations for a second time, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said in a statement. Chepchirchir had returned an adverse analytical finding for testosterone, the AIU said. The sample was collected at the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon in Thailand in November. The 39-year-old was previously banned for four years in 2019, backdated to April 11, 2018, because of abnormalities in her athlete blood passport. The latest ban will be backdated to December 22, 2023, and Chepchirchir's competition results from November…

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

Uganda’s Chemusto banned for four years for doping violation

ATHLETICS

UGANDAN middle-distance runner Janat Chemusto has been banned for four years after the 25-year-old tested positive for a prohibited substance, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said. The AIU said in a statement that Chemusto had returned an adverse analytical finding for the prohibited substance "19-Norandrosterone (a Metabolite of Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) or Nandrolone precursors)". The sample was collected at Nairobi's Kip Keino Classic in May, where Chemusto clocked a personal best of 4:01.79 to win the women's 1,500 metres. The ban will be backdated to July 13 2023, and Chemusto's competition results from May 13 onwards will be disqualified. The AIU…

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

Jamaican Taylor banned for 30 months for doping rule violation

ATHLETICS

JAMAICAN sprinter Christopher Taylor has been banned for 30 months for an anti-doping rule violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said. Taylor, who helped Jamaica to silver in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2022 World Championships, failed to submit to a sample collection in an out-of-competition test roughly a year ago, AIU said. The suspension is applicable from a year ago and Taylor will be eligible again in May 2025. Reuters was not immediately able to contact Taylor for comment. An Instagram post added to his account on Thursday night read "The End of an ERA."

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

Former steeplechase world champion Jeruto has provisional suspension lifted

ATHLETICS

FORMER steeplechase world champion Norah Jeruto has had her provisional suspension for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) lifted with immediate effect after the charge was not proven, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. A panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal ruled that the charges were dismissed and no period of ineligibility should be imposed on Jeruto, which means she is free to compete in the Paris Olympics next year. Jeruto, formerly a Kenyan who switched allegiance to Kazakhstan, won the 3,000 metres steeplechase gold at the 2022 world championships in Eugene where she also set a championship record, which…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Kenyan marathon runner Ekiru receives 10-year doping ban

ATHLETICS

KENYAN marathon runner Titus Ekiru has been banned for 10 years, by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), for both doping and tampering in a case that involved collusion with a high-ranking doctor in a Kenyan hospital. One of his positive tests, for triamcinolone acetonide, came at the Milan Marathon in May 2021, which he won in a time of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds, which would currently rank him the seventh-fastest all-time marathon athlete. The ban comes after an investigation found the 31-year-old obstructed the AIU's probe into two adverse analytical findings (AAFs) by using false information and…

Jul

2023

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s Ekiru facing 10-year ban, says AIU

ATHLETICS

KENYAN athlete Titus Ekiru is facing a 10-year ban for four charges of anti-doping violations, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said. Ekiru has the joint sixth-fastest marathon time of 2:02.57, set en route to winning the Milano City Marathon in 2021. The alleged violations relate to the use of a prohibited substance on two occasions, as well as two cases of tampering with doping control through the submission of falsified medical explanations and documentation. "The 31-year-old's charges stem from AIU investigations into Ekiru's positive in-competition doping tests after marathon victories in the Milano Marathon on 16 May 2021 and the…

May

2023

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s 10k world record holder Kipruto provisionally suspended

ATHLETICS

KENYAN athlete and 10-km road race world record holder Rhonex Kipruto has been provisionally suspended for an anti-doping violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said. Kipruto, who also won a 10,000m bronze medal in the 2019 world championships, broke the 10-km road race world record in 2020. The AIU said on Twitter that Kipruto had been suspended "for the use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP)". ABP refers to the Athlete Biological Passport, which shows discrepancies that can reveal the effects of doping. The AIU added that a notice of the charge has been issued to the 23-year-old runner. Thomson Reuters…

Feb

2023

By The African Mirror

AIU seeks six-year ban for Nigerian sprinter Oduduru

ATHLETICS

NIGERIAN sprinter Divine Oduduru has been provisionally suspended and notified of two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) which said they are seeking a six-year ban. The alleged violations relate to the possession or use or attempted use of a prohibited substance. They come after U.S. prosecutors charged therapist Eric Lira with supplying performance-enhancing drugs to athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. Oduduru's provisional suspension comes a year after his teammate Blessing Okagbare was banned for 11 years for doping in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics and refusing to cooperate with the investigation. Divine Oduduru of Nigeria…

Oct

2022

By The African Mirror

Kenyans Kipyokei, Lempus provisionally suspended for doping

ATHLETICS

KENYA'S 2021 Boston Marathon winner Diana Kipyokei and compatriot Betty Wilson Lempus have been provisionally suspended for using the banned substance triamcinolone acetonide, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. Both have also been charged with obstructing the AIU's investigation by providing false information or documentation. "After extensive investigations, the AIU has provisionally suspended two Kenyan marathoners – Diana Kipyokei and Betty Wilson Lempus – and charged them with various breaches of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules," the body said in a statement. "These alleged anti-doping rule violations stem from probes into the information provided by the athletes to…