AIU: Why Faith Chepkoech got a three-year ban instead of four
The Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, has revealed why Kenya’s Faith Chepkoech was handed a three year ban instead of four as stipulated in World anti-doping rules book.
Chepkoech was on Wednesday slammed with a three-year ban from 6 September 2024 for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (EPO).
The body established by World Athletics to tackle doping and other ethical misconduct in athletics and ensures compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code says the Kenyan admitted to spiking her system with prohibited performance enhancers.
The AIU said in a media release that the Kenyan was notified of the adverse analytical finding in her blood sample and that the adverse analytical finding
may result in anti-doping rule violations.
Chepkoech, according to the media release, was also informed of her rights, inter alia, to request the B sample analysis, to request copies of the laboratory documentation supporting the adverse analytical finding and to admit the anti-doping rule violations and potentially benefit from a one-year reduction in the period of ineligibility.
The AIU says Chepkoech attended an interview with its representatives and, in summary, explained that she had been injected with an unknown substance by an unknown
individual on 20 July 2024. The athlete admitted the anti-doping rule violations in interview.
The AIU also revealed it wrote to the Chepkoech ‘giving her the opportunity to provide any additional information to that which she had provided in interview.
‘The athlete was reminded that she could still benefit from a one-year reduction in the period of ineligibility by accepting the mandatory consequences for the anti-doping rule violations pursuant to Rule 10.8.1 ADR by 23 September 2024.’
Chepkoech complied and the AIU says it received, on 22 September 2024, ‘an admission of anti-doping rule violations and acceptance of consequences form signed by the athlete.’
The Kenyan has thus benefitted from Rule 10.8.1 ADR which ‘provides that an athlete potentially subject to an asserted period of ineligibility of four (4) years or more may benefit from a one (1)-year reduction in the period of ineligibility based on an early admission and acceptance of sanction.
