Will this kill Kenyan history of breaking records in the world marathon championships? or does it mean that some of our athletes have been doping to win the marathons? These remain questions to be answered as Kenyan world 800 metres bronze medallist Kipyegon Bett gets a hand of a four-year ban for doping.
The IAAF Athletics Integrity Unit said this through a statement issued on Friday via its official twitter account.
The AIU has issued a Decision against #Kenyan 800m #runner Kipyegon Bett under articles 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3 of @iaaforg #AntiDoping Rules – 4 years ineligibility from 15 Aug ’18 & a disqualification of results since 24 Feb ’18 to 15 Aug ’18https://t.co/5h4x7l6twG#AIUNews #Athletics pic.twitter.com/s9dUDiupNX
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) November 23, 2018
SAD: World 800m bronze medalist Kipyegon Bett banned for four years following his positive test on banned blood booster EPO. pic.twitter.com/2hqjdkLZWd
— Collo ™ (@Collins__Kibet) November 23, 2018
Bett, 20, refused to allow a urine sample to be taken in February and then in July, when a sample was taken, he tested positive for the prohibited substance Erythropoeitin (EPO), an endurance-boosting hormone, the integrity unit said.
Unless he appeals, Bett will be suspended until August 2022.
The AIU handles integrity and doping issues for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
Bett is the latest Kenyan to fail a drugs test. A World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report said between 2004 and Aug. 1, 2018, as many as 138 athletes from the east African nation tested positive for banned substances, 113 in competition.
Last month, another Kenyan marathon runner Samuel Kalalei, who won the Athens marathon last year November, was banned for four years after testing positive for blood-booster EPO, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said.
EPO (Erythroprotein) is a glycoprotein secreted by the kidney which stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Kalalei’s urine sample, which was collected after the Rotterdam Marathon in April, had returned positive for EPO. The 23-year-old was provisionally suspended by AIU, the independent agency of world athletics ruling body IAAF, on June 4.
Do you think these continued bans will affect Kenya’s athletics?