IAAF Tribunal extends Marathon champion Jemima Sumgong’s doping ban to eight years

Jemima Sumgong (KEN) of Kenya celebrates after winning the 2016 Rio Olympics Women’s Marathon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 14, 2016. REUTERS

The running career of Olympic women marathon champion Jemimah Jelagat Sumgong appears to be all but over after the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal slapped her with an eight-year ban from competition

At 34, she will be eligible to compete again at 42, effectively ruling her out from returning to the apex of the sport sealing the fall from grace of the runner who made history as the first Kenyan woman to win the marathon gold at Rio 2016.

“The IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Kenyan distance runner and reigning Olympic women’s marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong for eight-years starting 17 January 2019,” the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) posted on their Twitter handle yesterday.

“We welcome the decision of the Disciplinary Tribunal. We hope that it sends a message to dopers that the AIU has strong investigative capabilities and does not tolerate false evidence in doping cases,” it quoted the head of the doping control unit of the world athletics governing body, Brett Clothier saying.

The Sports Disputes Tribunal initially banned Sumgong for four years after being found guilty of using banned blood booster, rEPO in November 2017.

This came after she provisionally suspended from defending her London Marathon title on April3, 2017 when her A-Sample tested positive for the banned blood booster following an out of competition test conducted on February 28, 2017.

However, AIU appealed the sentence, seeking an eight-year ban accusing the athlete of a second charge of lying to the local tribunal.

AIU gave Sumgong the option of either accepting a second charge of lying about her positive test and serve an additional four years ban or seek a hearing to contest the new allegations at their Disputes Tribunal.

“This is a very important letter. It confirms a charge against you for a second violation of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Anti-Doping Rules (ADR- effective 3 April 2017).

“This may result in a ban from all sport for a significant period, disqualification of results and the forfeiture of any medals, titles, points and prize and appearance money,” AIU wrote to Sumgong in a letter in July last year.

“You should therefore give this letter your full and most urgent attention and we strongly advise you seek legal advice,” the letter copied to Athletics Kenya (AK), ADAK, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Disputes Tribunal Chair stated.

A darling of the nation when she delivered gold in 2:24:04 in Rio, Sumgong’s ban came at a time when her marathon career that had stagnated after she finished second at the 2012 Boston Marathon behind countrywoman Sharon Cherop.

Sumgong tested positive for the banned substance prednisolone in her post-race anti-doping test and was given a two-year ban from competition by Athletics Kenya. However, the IAAF cleared her on appeal in September 2012, as the local injection that Sumgong had received was permitted under the governing body's rules.

She won the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon in 2:23:27 before taking silver behind compatriot Rita Jeptoo at the Chicago Marathon.

Jeptoo, her former training partner was also banned for four years for rEPO use in the first high profile case in Kenyan athletics.

In 2015, she was second to Mary Keitany at the New York Marathon before winning London the next year where she ran 2:22:58 having fallen before picking herself up and take the honours.

That saw her included in the Rio 2016 Olympics squad where she went on to make history. [Kimathi Kamau]