Josephine Chepkoech handed seven-year ban for doping

Kenyan long-distance runner Josephine Chepkoech has received a seven year ban after testing positive for the presence and use of a prohibited substance - Testosterone, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Tuesday 28 March.

The 35-year-old was found to have violated the anti-doping rules for the second time in her career after an in-competition urine sample collected during February’s Zurich Marathon in Seville, revealed the presence of androstane metabolites.

AIU, as per standard procedure, notified Chepkoech of the Adverse Analytical Finding on 7 May 2024, to which she responded two days later via email stating: “Accepted” and “I have accepted.”

On 20 May, AIU received an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form signed by the athlete.

Having previously served a period of ineligibility of two years from 15 March 2015 to 14 March 2017 for the presence/use of Norandrosterone from a sample provided on 31 December 2014, AIU therefore imposed a ban amounting to eight years.

However, due to her admission and acceptance of the latest sanctions, AIU reduced the ban by one year, meaning that the period of ineligibility now stands at seven years.

In addition, all her results, medals, titles, awards and prizes from 18 February 2024 have been disqualified.

This comes days after she saw her silver medal in Seville stripped, as she served an AIU-imposed provisional suspension communicated on 8 May.

Zurich silver medalist Chepkoech stripped off medal for doping

Chepkoech made her marathon debut at the Nairobi Marathon in 2018, winning the race in 2:33.11, and also finished second at the Barcelona Marathon a year later in 2019 in 2:25.26.