Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned Kenyan marathoner Sarah Chepchirchir for 8 years for the use of prohibited substances contrary to its laws.
The ban, running from December 22, 2023, was concluded after urine samples submitted at the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon in Chonburi, Thailand on November 5, 2023, showed the presence of Testosterone.
“Analysis of the Sample by the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) accredited laboratory in Bangkok, Thailand (the “Laboratory”), revealed the presence of Metabolites of Testosterone consistent with exogenous origin,” AIU noted.
The substance is prohibited under the WADA 2023 Prohibited List under the category S1.1 Anabolic Androgenic Steroids.
Chepchirchir was summoned upon the analytical finding, to defend herself against the allegation of violating the anti-doping rules.
“In accordance with Article 5.1.2.1 ISRM, based on the Adverse Analytical Finding, the AIU imposed immediate suspension, however, the athlete failed to respond by the January 5, 2024 deadline issued,” AIU stated.
“On January 22, 2024, the AIU, therefore, issued a Notice of Charge to the Athlete in accordance with Rule 8.5.1 and Article 7.1 ISRM,” the authority added.
The Athlete was informed that the AIU was satisfied that she had committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations under Rule 2.1 ADR and Rule 2.2 ADR which warranted a period of Ineligibility of eight years.
AIU further granted Chepchirchir a one-year reduction in the case that she admitted to having violated the regulations and accepted the asserted period of ineligibility.
“By signing and returning an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form to the AIU by no later than February 11, 2024, the ineligibility will be reduced by a year,”
Chepchirchir, however, failed to respond to the Notice of Charge, leading to a full sentence from the authority, which indicated that the ban would lapse in 2030.
In August last year, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba reached out to Chief Justice Martha Koome to aid curb cartels fostering doping in athletics. The CS added the cartels were wreaking havoc in the sector which tarnished the reputation of the country.
"We also need prosecutors and judicial officers so that the Judiciary could set aside Magistrate Courts just to deal with these cases. Just the same way we have special courts for corruption or terrorism cases. We have asked the Chief Justice to give us special courts that will deal with these cases," Namwamba told Kenyans.co.ke.
