Kenya: Repeat Offender Chepchirchir Slapped With Eight-Year Ban for Doping

Nairobi — The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has slapped an eight-year ban on 2017 Tokyo Marathon winner, Kenyan Sarah Chepchirchir after being found guilty of a second offence of doping.

Chepchirchir’s urine sample tested positive for the presence of Metabolites of Testosterone at the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon in Chonburi, Thailand last November.

This is the second time that the 39-year old was being flagged for a doping offense, having previously served a period of Ineligibility of four years from 6 February 2019 to 5 February 2023 for discrepancies in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

Having failed to admit her second anti-doping rule violation, barely a year after returning to action, the athlete was handed the maximum ban.

Chepchirchir was issued with a notice of allegation after her positive test on December 22 last year. She was provisionally suspended as hearing started. She was given until January 5 to respond to the charge, but never sent a response to the AIU.

Failed to respond to AIU

She was then notified by the AIU on January 10 that she had irrevocably waived her right to the B Sample analysis. The athlete was also informed that the details of her Provisional Suspension would be Publicly Disclosed by being published on the AIU website.

According to the AIU, Chepchirchir was exceptionally granted until no later than 10 January to submit a request for the laboratory documentation package supporting the Adverse Analytical Finding or submit an explanation but once again failed to respond.

She also failed to respond to her notice of charge and the possibility of a one-year waiver should she admit to the DRV.

She has now been slapped with a ban that dates back to December 2023 and ends 21 December 2031. This essentially ends her career as she will be 47 then. Consequently, her results and all appearance and prize money accrued from December 3 have been nullified.