S. OchiengThree year doping ban for two-time Rotterdam Marathon champ Kipserem
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 20.10.22. | 13:30
Over 20 Kenyan athletes have been banned by AIU since the start of the year for various doping offenses.
Kenya’s 2016 and 2019 Rotterdam marathon winner Marius Kipserem has been handed a three year ban after the 34 year old athlete was found guilty of using prohibited substance recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Thursday.
In a detailed statement released by the body whose role is to protect the integrity of the sport of Athletics, Kipserem, winner of the 2018 Abu Dhabi marathon as well, was found to have committed the doping offense after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland reported an adverse analytical finding in the athletes Out-Of-Competition urine sample taken back on August 17 this year.
The AIU has banned Kenya’s Marius Kipserem for 3 years from 22 September 2022 for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (EPO). DQ results from 17 August 2022.
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) October 20, 2022
Details here: https://t.co/Ay1S5pVqpt pic.twitter.com/SOaELLH013
After reviewing the adverse analytical finding, it was determined that the athlete did not have a Theraupeutic Use Exemption and that there was no apparent departure from the International Standard for Testing and Investigations or from the International Standard for Laboratories that could have caused the adverse Analytical finding consequently leading to the anti-doping rule violation.
“On 20 September 2022, the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Lausanne, reported an Adverse Analytical Finding in the Sample based on the presence of recombinant erythropoietin ("EPO"),” the statement from AIU read.
Kenya's Marius Kipserem has been banned for 3 years from Sep 22 by the Athletics Integrity Unit for presence/use of EPO.
— Elijah Ouko (@elijah_ouko) October 20, 2022
The list keeps getting longer by the day. pic.twitter.com/gAiAjEkXCC
After being notified of the adverse analytical finding, Kipserem confirmed expressly in writing that he admitted the Anti-Doping Rule Violations and accepted the consequences that will see all his results since August 2022 disqualified including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, point prizes and appearance money.
“Violation: a period of Ineligibility of three (3) years commencing on 22 September 2022 (the date of Provisional Suspension) and disqualification of the Athlete's results since 17 August 2022, with all resulting Consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points prizes and appearance money,” the statement added.
Kipserem was a member of the team that helped pace Eliud Kipchoge for the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in 2019, accepted the consequences
