Ekiru’s 10-year ban exposes complexity of doping in Kenyan athletics

NAIROBI: The lengthy 10-year ban slapped on Kenyan marathoner Titus Ekiru by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has exposed another dimension to the doping crisis that has plagued the country’s athletics for almost a decade.

The AIU, in a statement in the Kenyan capital here on Monday evening, explained that the longest sanction imposed on a Kenyan athlete followed a comprehensive investigation which revealed the 31-year-old had tampered with investigations to obstruct the probe into two failed drug tests, reports Xinhua.

It added that Ekiru colluded with a senior doctor in Nandi County in northwest Kenya from whom, on two occasions - April 29 and May 6, 2021, the athlete received injections of triamcinolone acetonide during undocumented hospital visits.

“The senior doctor claimed Ekiru’s visits were unrecorded by the hospital as the athlete had attended early in the morning, before the registration offices had opened,” AIU added in the statement announcing the ban.

Ekiru tested positive twice for the presence of prohibited substances, or their metabolites or markers and faces a ban from June 28, 2022 to June 27, 2032.

“Ekiru’s results on and since May 16, 2021 have been disqualified, resulting in the forfeiture of all prizes and money,” AIU said. IANS

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