The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Wednesday revealed that Kenyan long-distance runner Rhonex Kipruto has been banned from professional athletics for six years due to doping, dealing a severe blow to his athletic career. In addition, he must surrender his world record for the 10-kilometer road race as well as the bronze medal he won at the World Championships.
Kipruto, who is only 24 years old, has already made a name for himself in the sports world. He won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2019 World Championships. His skill was further demonstrated in 2020 when he won the 10,000 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League and established a world record in the 10 km road race in Valencia. Nevertheless, these achievements have now been revoked due to doping violations.
Kipruto’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), a technology that tracks athletes’ biological signs over time to detect abnormalities that would signal doping, showed anomalies that sparked an investigation into his activities. The Disciplinary Tribunal concluded that blood manipulation, including the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO), a prohibited performance-enhancing drug, was most likely the cause of Kipruto’s ABP anomalies.
Kipruto’s defense was rejected by the Tribunal since it did not offer a different explanation for the unusual values that were noted. According to the AIU, “the Tribunal rejected Kipruto’s defense, ruling that blood manipulation, such as the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO), is more likely to be the source for the irregularities in the ABP.” “Comfortably convinced,” the panel said that Kipruto had participated in a “deliberate and sophisticated doping regime over a long period of time.”
Despite the severe repercussions, Kipruto retains the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This opportunity provides a potential avenue for Kipruto to contest the findings and seek a reduction or overturn of the ban.
