Kenyan long-distance runner Daisy Cherotich has received a four-year suspension for doping from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), barely a week after another Kenyan was banned for 10 years.
In a statement by AIU, Cherotich was suspended after providing a urine sample on January 11, 2023, which tested positive for erythropoietin, a medical stimulant and oxygen boost.
AIU notified the athlete of the findings on February 21, 2023, and directed her to explain in a month and provide copies of the laboratory findings.
Cherotich, however, did not reply within the given deadline.
"On March 1, 2023, the AIU exceptionally granted the Athlete an extension until March 6, 2023, to provide her reply to the Notice of Allegation," AIU stated.
"She was reminded inter alia that in the absence of a response by March 6, 2023, she would be deemed to have waived her right to the Sample analysis and to have accepted the Adverse Analytical Finding."
According to AIU, Cherotich failed to reply within the given deadline, waiving her right to appeal the findings.
She was then issued with a Notice of Charge, informing her that she was being charged with violating AntiDoping Regulations, risking a four-year ban.
AIU invited the athlete to respond to the charge by July 17, 2023, failure to which, she would be banned.
A day before the deadline, Cherotich sent an admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations, accepting the consequences issued by AIU.
"On July 16, 2023, the AIU received an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form signed by the Athlete," the body noted.
This comes days after the authority passed another ten-year ban on Kenyan marathoner Titus Ekiru for doping allegations.
According to AIU, the elite athlete colluded with a doctor at a Kenyan hospital to forge medical documents, in a bid to mislead the anti-doping body.
“The AIU has banned Titus Ekiru (Kenya) for 10 years, from 28 June 2022, for the Presence of Prohibited Substances (Triamcinolone Acetonide and metabolite; Pethidine and metabolite) and for Tampering," AIU's communique stated.
Ekiru tested positive for doping drugs during two international races that he won, the Generali Milano Marathon on 16 May 2021 and the Abu Dhabi Marathon on 26 November 2021.
