AIU strikes again as Komen, Kiprop are sanctioned

Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is, yet again, on Kenya’s case with the sanctioning of two more athletes, Purity Temutai Komen who has received a 6-year ban while Kennedy Kiprop Cheboror has been provisionally suspended.

Komen’s ban runs from 6 July 2023 when she was first provisionally suspended for the presence of Norandrosterone. The test was from an in-competition sample taken at the World Military Cross-Country Championships in October 2022.

Since then she ran four half marathons in Valencia (October 22), in Jedda (December 22), in Lisbon (March 23), and in Istanbul (where she won on April 23). Her results disqualification has been backdated to affect any from 13 October 2022, with all resulting consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points prizes and appearance money.

Before her positive results, Komen is accused of evading Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya’s (ADAK) attempts to collect samples in May. AIU opened an investigation into the circumstances of the attempts made by ADAK to test the Athlete between 12 May 2023 and 14 May 2023 after her positive test in October.

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Whilst the AIU’s investigation into the attempted Testing was ongoing, on 6 July 2023, the AIU issued the Athlete with a Notice of Allegation of Anti-Doping Rule Violations in relation to the Adverse Analytical Finding, and imposed a Provisional Suspension.

“Thank you I got the email. I read everything and I understood all the information. I would like to request for more 14 days, since I had prolong back injury I seek medication from different hospitals. Thus I need to provide accurate information about my medication thank you (sic),” Komen is quoted to have told AIU, on 12 July 2023, when asked for an explanation.

“Thank you for your information, I accept I did a mistake unknowingly but am sorry, am no longer interested in running career (sic),” Komen’s WhatsApp message to the AIU, having failed to explain the positive test, reads.

Meanwhile, Kiprop has been suspended for whereabouts failure.

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