Two Kenyan athletes suspended for violating anti-doping rules

Two Kenyan athletes have been handed separate provisional suspensions for violating World Athletics anti-doping rules [COURTESY]

Two Kenyan athletes, Mikel Kiprotich Mutai and Alex Korio Oliotiptip have been handed separate provisional suspensions for violating World Athletics anti-doping rules, reports the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).  

According to information from the AIU website, Mutai’s charge involves the presence of prohibited substances (Norandrosterone) while Oliotiptip has been suspended due to whereabout failures.

The AIU has provisionally suspended US sprinters Deajah Stevens, Gabrielle Thomas and road runner Alex Korio Oliotiptip of Kenya, all for whereabouts failures, violations of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules.
Find out more ??https://t.co/opInfkVlnV#AIUNews#CleanSport pic.twitter.com/tEjcSzNXRl

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) May 1, 2020

The AIU has provisionally suspended marathon runner Mikel Kiprotich Mutai of Kenya for the presence of a prohibited substance, a violation of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules.
Find out more ??https://t.co/opInfkVlnV #AIUNews
1/2 pic.twitter.com/SUPVK5nEtC — Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) May 1, 2020

United States sprinters Deejah Stevens and Gabrielle Thomas have also received provisional suspensions for violating anti-doping rules.

These suspensions come barely a fortnight after another Kenyan runner, Daniel Wanjiru was suspended over an anti-doping violation.

The AIU confirmed on Tuesday, April 14 that a charge had been issued against Wanjiru for the use of a prohibited substance.

“The AIU has provisionally suspended marathon specialist Daniel Kinyua Wanjiru of Kenya with immediate effect for an Athlete Biological Passport violation under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules,” AIU posted on Twitter.

Information on AIU website [COURTESY]

Under anti-doping rules, Wanjiru cannot participate in any competition until a hearing has taken place into the allegation.

The 27-year-old was also victorious in the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon.

He has finished eighth and 11th in the past two London marathons.

A provisional Suspension is when an athlete is suspended temporarily from participating in any competition or activity in athletics before a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.

Former world marathon record-holder Paul Tergat said criminalising doping will help end vice in the country.

Tergat stated the country must move with speed and create a new law that will criminalise the offence.

"We all ran clean and we want our current crop of athletes to run clean. There's no shortcut to clean sports except training hard.

“So many things have been happening right, left and centre regarding doping in Kenya," said Tergat.

Tergat, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president, indicated athletes caught doping should serve jail time.

"Kenya now needs to be tough on dopers by criminalising their offences. They will suffer double loss to revenue and time in jail if they are found doping," said Tergat.

"At the current rate, Kenya risks being banned from the Olympics or big city's marathons. What we need to do is make the punishment for offenders more punitive.

This will also bar offenders from putting on our national colours and make them ineligible to compete elsewhere," he added.

Former World Marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang and former World Under-20 champion Alfred Kipketer were both charged in January with breaking anti-doping rules.

Current Kenyan law stipulates a jail term of up to three years for support staff found guilty in connection with doping, but not for athletes.

From 2004 to August 2018, 138 Kenyan athletes tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, according to a WADA report published in September 2018.

With their high number of dopers, Kenya was placed under category A on the list of countries being watched together with Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Morocco, Ukraine and Belarus.