This archive report was first published on 12 November 2019.
Abraham Kiptum, a 30-year-old Kenyan runner, has lost his status as a World-Half marathon record holder following a guilty verdict on anti-doping violations.
The Athletics Integrity Unit announced the decision on November 11, after Kiptum had been provisionally suspended in April for Athlete Passport Violation (ABP).
According to reports, the Athlete Passport is a tool used to collect and compare an athlete's biological data, helping to detect the possibility of doping rather than identifying a specific banned substance.
London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher stated, "We have a zero-tolerance policy on doping. We recently announced a groundbreaking extensive intelligence-driven testing programme. This shows the programme is working. Cheats will be caught and there is no place for them in marathon running."
As a result of the ban, Kiptum's results from October last year will be disqualified, including the World Half-Marathon record he set in Valencia.
Meanwhile, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has reaffirmed the government's commitment to fighting doping in sports.
Speaking at the opening of the fifth World Conference on Doping in Sports in Katowice, Poland, on November 5, Amina emphasized the need for a holistic approach to addressing the issue, including legislation that holds trainers, managers, and agents accountable.
She stated, "The era of holding only athletes responsible for doping is drawing to an end. Trainers, managers, and agents must also take their responsibilities seriously. Athletes do not live and train in isolation. They are part of the entourage and must be treated as such."
Under the proposed new law, coaches, managers, sports agents, and other connected persons will be barred from practicing in Kenya and potentially face jail time for involvement in doping.
