Patrick Siele is the latest Kenyan athlete to join list of runners banned for doping offence

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned Kenyan long-distance runner Patrick Siele for three years and six months for evading an out of competition test that was to be conducted on him in Kapsabet on December 18 last year.

Although the marathoner, whose ban starts in March, was subject to a four-year ban, the AIU revealed he had admitted to the violation, hence a reduction of the sanction by six months.

A statement said the test in question was his first out of competition and “his relative lack of anti-doping education” may have contributed to an “error of judgement”.

 “The AIU... agreed to a six month reduction in the sanction, taking into account... that this was his first experience of out-of-competition testing and his relative lack of anti-doping education which may have contributed to his error of judgment on the day,” the AIU said.

The 24-year-old, who held a personal best of 2:10:42 in the marathon, will now join a long list of Kenyan athletes who have already been suspended or banned since the start of the year.

Former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang, Alex Oloitiptip, Mercy Kibarus and Kenneth Kipkemoi have already been banned.

Former 1,500 metres world champion Elijah Manangoi was provisionally suspended in July for missing three tests under the whereabouts rule.

Other Kenyan athletes to be sanctioned in recent years, including 2008 Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, former Boston and Chicago Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo and 2016 Olympic marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong.

To read the full AIU decision click here.