Related case:
CAS 2020_A_7510 Daniel Kinyua Wanjiru vs World Athletics
February 1, 2022
In April 2020 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Daniel Kinyua Wanjiru after an AIU Expert Panel concluded unanimously in September 2019 in their Joint Expert Opinion that the Athlete’s hematological profile “highly likely” showed that he used a prohibited substance or a prohibited method: the use of EPO or Blood doping.
This conclusion of the AIU Expert Panel was based on assessment of blood samples, collected in the period from 20 April 2017 until 25 April 2019 reported in the Athlete’s Biological Passport (ABP).
After notification the Athlete submitted several explanations and objections to the AIU about the circumstances surrounding the collected samples. However after consideration the Expert Panel rejected the Athlete’s explanations and objections in their 2nd (March 2020), 3rd (June 2020) and 4th (August 2020) joint report. A provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete was heard for the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal.
The AIU contended that the abnormalities in the heamatological module of the Athlete’s ABP from sample 14 indicate blood manipulation since it had extremely abnormal HGB values. Supported by expert witnesses the Athlete denied the violation, disputed the reliablility of the ABP and asserted that the values in his ABP could be explained due to his travel from altitude to sea level.
Based on the formidable scientific evidence the Panel is comfortably satisfied that the AIU has discharged its burden that blood manipulation is the irresistible explanation for the abnormal HB and OFF-score values in sample 14 in the Athlete’s ABP. The Panel holds that the AIU and the Expert Panel established that the presented doping scenario caused the abnormalities in the Athlete’s ABP and that the Athlete committed an anti-doping rule violation.
Therefore the Disciplinary Tribunal decides on 8 October 2020 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 9 December 2020.
