FORMER World Championship bronze medallist in the 10,000m and current 10 km road race world record-holder, Rhonex Kipruto, received a six-year ban on Wednesday following doping violations.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced that a disciplinary tribunal’s decision was based on irregularities found in Kipruto’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), which were attributed to doping.
‘Having reviewed and considered carefully the totality of the athlete’s evidence, the panel is comfortably satisfied that the AIU) has discharged its burden of proof and established that the athlete has committed an ADRV (anti-doping rule violation),’ the disciplinary tribunal concluded. The tribunal determined that the ‘cause for the abnormalities in the ABP is more likely to be due to blood manipulation,’ adding that there was ‘no other plausible explanation’ for the abnormal values.
The 24-year-old Kenyan was provisionally suspended on May 11 last year under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) after the irregularities were detected. Kipruto denied the charges, claiming that his ABP abnormalities were due to natural and specific characteristics of his body, as well as various medical conditions and health issues.
Despite his defence, Kipruto, who won bronze at the 2019 World Championships and holds the world record in the 10 km road race, is banned until May 10, 2029. Additionally, some of his race victories will be disqualified. This case adds to a series of doping violations by Kenyan athletes, including marathon runner Jemima Sumgong, who received a four-year ban in 2017; former 1500m world champion Asbel Kiprop, who was handed a four-year ban in 2019; and three-time Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo, who was banned for four years in 2016.
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