Kenyan long-distance runner Roncer Kipkorir Konga has been banned for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced that the 30-year-old tested positive for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing drug banned under global anti-doping rules.
His suspension began on June 16, 2025, and will run until June 15, 2028.
The case dates back to December 2024, when Konga’s sample was collected during out-of-competition testing.
A World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland, initially returned a negative result in January.
The AIU has banned Roncer Kipkorir Konga (Kenya) for 3 years from 16 June 2025 for Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Testosterone). DQ results from 29 December 2024
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) August 19, 2025
Details here: https://t.co/bSZ4Jwx8y2 pic.twitter.com/waEmLCKTyI
However, a re-analysis in June 2025 detected testosterone and its metabolites of exogenous origin.
As a result, all of Konga’s results since December 29, 2024, have been annulled, including races, titles, medals, prize money, and appearance fees.
Konga admitted the violation, which allowed his standard four-year ban to be reduced by one year. He attempted to explain the positive result by claiming he may have consumed traditional herbal medicine prepared by his mother, or a supplement known as TestoXT Booster.
After consulting experts, the AIU rejected those explanations, saying they could not account for the laboratory findings.
The ban comes just months after Konga impressed at the Shanghai Half Marathon, clocking 1:01:07 in a Kenyan podium sweep. His rapid rise had placed him among the country’s promising road-running talents.
The case adds to Kenya’s growing struggle with repeated doping scandals in athletics. The country remains under Category A monitoring by global anti-doping authorities, meaning its athletes face heightened scrutiny both in and out of competition.
Konga will now be sidelined until 2028—a major setback in his career and another blow to Kenya’s athletics reputation.