The Athletics Kenya (AK) on Monday announced that it had banned two marathoners Viola Chelangat Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo for failed doping tests.
The [link id=”199″ tax=”post_tag” text=”AK”] Medical and Anti-doping Commission chaired by Dr Victor Bargoi, which met on December 10, are also studying the tests of six others marathoners – excluding Rita Jeptoo – for possible sanctions.
Kimetto, 33, third at the [link id=”294″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Athens marathon” target=”_blank”] in 2012 in 2:40:28 tested positive for Norandosterone during the Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon held on 1st December 2013 and has been banned for two years effective October 12, 2014.
The 26-year-old Kiplimo, a half marathoner has a personal best of 1:10.21 from Yangzhou – a result that has since been nullified as the tests taken after the race in China last April also returned positive test for Norandosterone – a banned substance that is detected in urine.
Athletics Kenya however steered clear of the recent allegations published by the British Newspaper Telegraph last week that reported that up to 25 Kenyan runners, possibly some world and Olympic champions, are among 150 athletes who had suspicious blood values but were not subject to targeted testing afterwards by the International Associations of Athletics Federations – IAAF.
The report followed a documentary aired on German Television station ARD that was in possession of the suspicious records that also included names of the runners. The IAAF’s ethics commission is investigating the claims.
“AK would like to state that it has not received any formal communication in regard to the above said 25 athletes,” read a press statement from the [link id=”199″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Athletics Kenya”].
Meanwhile, the AK Medical and Antidoping Commission is studying six other runners: Philip Kibiwot Kandie, James Maunga Nyankabaria, Alice Ndirangu, Elizabeth Jebet Chelagat, seasoned road runner Isaac Kimaiyo Kemboi and Bernard Mwendia Muthoni for possible doping sanctions.
(This article was originally published in Sports News Arena on Monday December 15, 2014)
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Kenyan journalist Evelyn Watta won the 2014 CNN/Multichoice African sports journalist of the year award. Watta, a former NTV sports editor, was elected vice president of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) in 2017.
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