In March 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Norah Jeruto because the Athlete’s hematological profile “highly likely” showed that she had used a prohibited substance or a prohibited method: the use of EPO or Blood doping. 

This conclusion was based on assessment of blood samples, collected in the period between 20 November 2017 and 2 May 2022 reported in the Athlete’s Biological Passport (ABP). After notification the Athlete filed a statement in her defence an she was heard for the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal.

The Athlete explained with evidence that she suffered from bleeding ulcers and anaemia in 2020 and 2021 and underwent several treaments with medication. Further she contracted COVID-19 at the material time and also received treatment and medication for this condition.

In view of the evidence the majority of the Panel is not satisfied that an anti-doping rule violation had been committed even if it had considered the evidence of blood withdrawal was sufficient of itself to constitute Attempted Use.

The Panel is also not satisfied to accept that the ABP abnormalities were consistent with the use of a relatively low dose of EPO. The majority of the Panel is rather persuaded that a bout of COVID-19 had caused the abnormalities in the Athlete's APP at the material time.

Therefore the Panel decides on 27 October 2023 that:

• the charges against the Athlete are dismissed;
• no period of ineligibility is imposed on the Athlete and no results are disqualified;
• the Athlete's provisional suspension is lifted with immediate effect.

In February 2024 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Spanish Athlete Mohamed Katir for his Whereabouts Filing Failures and Missed Tests within a 12 month period:

• a Filing Failure on 28 February 2023;
• a Missed Test / Filing Failure on 3 April 2023;
• a Missed Test / Filing Failure on 10 October 2023.

Regarding the first Whereabouts Filing Failure in February 2023 the Athlete explained that he had received a call from his fiancée that she was feeling unwell. He immediately booked a flight to Portugal and updated his Whereabouts information.

Regarding his failure in April 2023 the Athlete explained that during the days before the Mssed Test multiple times he could not update his Whereabouts information in ADAMS due to technical problems with his App.

After the Missed Test in October 2023 he stated that he was surprised to see that his 60-minute time slot was set between 19:20 and 20:20. He asserted that there must have been a system error as prior he had set his 60 minutes time slot between 07:00 and 08:00 uur.

The AIU assessed and addressed the Athlete's explanations and evidence and made the following conclusions:

• The Athlete's flight to Portugal in February 2023 was booked 2 days before his departure and not last minute as claimed by the Athlete.
• He did not timely update his Whereabouts in February 2023 and provided inaccurate information.
• At the material time in April 2023 there had been no technical problems with ADAMS, nor were multiple log in attempts recorded.
• Before the Missed Test in April 2023 his updates in ADAMS were inaccurate and incomplete.
• On the day of the Missed Test in April 2023 he updated his Whereabouts 20 minutes after the arrival of the Doping Control Officer (DCO) and not prior to his 60-minutes timeslot in ADAMS as claimed.
• In October 2023 he had changed his 60-minutes time slot in ADAMS after the DCO had concluded his attempt to locate the Athlete.

Ultimately the Athlete admitted the anti-doping rule violation and signed and submitted an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

Therefore on 16 February 2024 the AIU decides to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 7 February 2024.

In December 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Maurine Chepkemoi after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Erythropoietin (EPO).

Following notification the Athlete timely admitted the violation, waived her right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the AIU.

Because she had signed and submitted the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form she received a 1 year reduction from the AIU.

Therefore the AIU decides on 21 December 2023 to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 4 December 2023.

In November 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping violation against the Indian Athlete Kumari Rachna after her A and B samples - collected in September 2023 - tested positive for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, Metandienone and Stanozolol.

Additionally in December 2023 the India National Anti-Doping Agency (INADA) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete when her sample - collected in November 2023 - tested positive for Clenbuterol. Thereupon this case was transferred by INADA to the the AIU.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered by the AIU. Hereafter the Athlete failed to respond at all or to provide any information to the AIU.

The AIU establishes that this is the Athlete's second anti-doping rule violation as she had served a sanction of 4 years until 17 March 2019 for the presence of Metenolone in her sample. Furthermore the AIU determines that there are aggravating circumstances in this case since the Athlete had used multiple prohibited substances on multiple occasions.

Because the Athlete failed to respond in February 2024 the AIU finds that she is deemed to have waived her right for a hearing, admitted the anti-doping rule violations and accepted the consequences.

Therefore the AIU decides on 13 February 2024 to impose a 12 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 24 November 2023.

In March 2024 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Kennedy Cheboror. The AIU deemed that the Athlete had 3 Wherabouts Failures within a 12 month period:

• a Missed Test and Filing Failure on 6 November 2023;
• a Missed Test and Filing Failure on 28 November 2023;
• a Missed Test and Filing Failure on 27 December 2023.

Although the Athlete submitted his explanations to the AIU the Whereabouts Failures were recorded. In any case the Athlete did not file a request for an adminstrative review.

Following notification the Athlete gave a timely admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the AIU. Furthermore he signed and submitted the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

The Athlete did not challenge the first and third Whereabouts Failures. Regarding the second Whereabouts Failures he asserted that his management had failed to change his Whereabouts information he had requested.

Therefore the AIU decides on 4 April 2024 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 4 March 2024.

In May 2022 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Joyce Chepkemoi Tele after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Triamcinolone Acetonide. Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete filed a statement in her defence.

The Athlete explained that she underwent medical treatment in a hospital in Kenya in April 2022 for her diagnosed pneumonia and an allergic reaction. She demonstrated with documents that she had received various medications including a Trinocort injection containing Triamcinolone Acetonide.

Hereafter in July 2022 the Athlete's application for a retroactive TUE was rejected by the TUE Committee of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK). Furthermore ADAK's investigation confirmed her statements regarding the medical treatment she underwent in the hospital.

The AIU concludes that the Athlete's violation was not intentional and deems that there are grounds for a reduced sanction. Thereupon the Athlete admitted the violation and signed an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

Therefore the AIU decides on 13 December 2023 to impose an 18 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. 27 June 2022.

In August 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Colombian Athlete John Tello Zuniga after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance Erythropoietin (EPO).

Following notification the Athlete timely admitted the violation in November 2023, waived his right for a hearing and accepted the sanction proposed by the AIU.

The AIU deems that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional. Because he had signed and submitted the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form he received a 1 year reduction from the AIU.

Therefore the AIU decides on 13 December 2023 to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 25 August 2023.

In September 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Rwandan Athlete John Hakizimana after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Triamcinolone acetonide.

Following notification the Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance whereas he assumed that his supplements had caused the positive test. Ultimately he admitted the violation, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the AIU. 

The AIU determines that the prohibited substance was not listed on the labels of the Athlete's supplements. Moreover he failed to provide additional information to the AIU, nor were these supplements analysed for the presence of Triamcinolone acetonide.

Further the AIU considers that there was no evidence that the violation was intentional. Because he had signed and submitted the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form he received a 1 year reduction from the AIU.

Therefore the AIU decides on 28 November 2023 to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 27 October 2023.

In July 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Ugandees Athlete Janat Chemusto after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance 19-norandrosterone (Nandrolone). Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete filed a statement in her defence.

The Athlete asserted with medical documents that the prescribed medication she had used for her condition probably were the source of the prohibited substance. Yet, the AIU concluded that her medication could not explain the presence of Nandrolone in her sample.

The AIU determined that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional. As a result the AIU offered the Athlete a 1 year reduction when she timely returned a signed Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

Following reminders by the AIU in October 2023 the Athlete ultimately returned the Admission Form 3 days beyond the set deadline. Thereupon she failed to demonstrate with evidence that her signed Admission Form indeed had been completed on or before the date of the deadline.

The AIU establishes that the Athlete failed to respond and to  confirm that she disputed the consequences of the violation in her case by the deadlines specified by the AIU. Accordingly the Athlete is deemed to have waived her right to a hearing and accepted the consequences.

Therefore the AIU decides on 17 November 2023 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 13 July 2023.

Related case:

ADAK 2019 ADAK vs James Mwangi Wangari
September 23, 2020

23 September 2020 the Kenyan Sports Disputes Tribunal decided to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete James Mwangi Wangari after his sample tested posive for the prohibted substance Testosterone.

Hereafter in December 2022 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported a new anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete after he tested positive for the prohibited substance 19-norandrosterone (Nandrolone).

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the World Athletitcs Disciplinary Tribunal.

The Athlete accepted the test result and denied the intentional use of the substance. He alleged that a contaminated supplement had caused the positive test result and that he acted with No Significant Fault or Negligence.

He asserted that without success he made diligent attempts to establish the source of the prohibited substance. Because of the costs he was also unable to request analysis of his B sample.

World Athletics contended that the Athlete had committed a second anti-doping rule violation and failed to demonstrate with corroborating evidence that he acted with No Significant Fault or Negligence. Because of the high concentration established in the sample his violation is deemed to be intentional.

The Sole Arbitrator Panel finds that the presence of a prohibited substance has been established in the Athlete's sample and accordingly that he committed a second anti-doping rule violation. The Panel deems that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional.

The Sole Arbitrator considers that there is no corroborating evidence about the contamination theorie. Moreover the Sole Arbitrator agrees that the high concentration found in the Athlete's sample can only be consistent with the administration of a Nandrolone injection.

Therefore the Disciplinary Tribunal decides on 7 December 2023 to impose an 8 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 21 December 2022.