The Athletics Integrity Unit has banned two other Kenyan marathon sensations Felix Kipchumba Korir and Emmanuel Saina for Anti-Doping Rule Violation and use of prohibited substance Norandrosterone respectively.
In a statement released on Tuesday, AIU confirmed the pair will be out of competition for three years commencing September 9 2022.
Korir, the 2018 Nanjing Marathon champion was tested in August 17 while the 2018 Buenos Aires Marathon champion Saina provided a urine sample for an out-of-competition in Eldoret on August 18.
“The laboratory reported an adverse analytical finding in the sample based on 19- Norandesterone while the athlete did not have the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE),” said AIU in a press statement.
“Korir has been suspended for three years after the AIU received an admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and acceptance of consequences. The athlete did not demonstrate that the Anti-Doping Rule Violation were not intentional and the mandatory period of ineligibility is four years.
“On September 17, 2022, the AIU received an admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and acceptance of consequences form signed by Saina and he will also benefit from the one-year reduction and be out of competition for three years.”
The doping menace in Kenya is proving costly to the nation that prides itself in long distance races. The latest sanctions have seen the list of banned Kenyan athletes owing to doping stretch to about 15 this year.
Meanwhile, Athletics Kenya has already put in place harsh penalties to individuals caught up in the mix of doping as a way of curbing the habit.
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