Kenyan athlete starts 2023 with AIU suspension as Kipchoge speaks against doping
During a visit to Kenya earlier this month, World Athletics President Seb Coe said there was "no suggestion" of state-sponsored doping in Kenyan athletics.
Kenyan athlete Mwangi Wangari has been charged by the AIU over the presence or use of the prohibited substance norandrosterone, a chemical compound that is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list.
It is the second sanction for Mwangi Wangari, who was banned for four years in 2017 for the presence or use of testosterone, as reported by Athletics News.
Mwangi Wangari, 28, achieved his personal best at the 2016 Copenhagen Half Marathon, which he won in 59min 7sec, while he also triumphed in the Milan Half Marathon in the same year.
According to the AIU website, Mwangi Wangari was one of six Kenyan athletes who were served with provisional suspensions in 2022.
The AIU also reports that 54 Kenyan athletes are serving bans - the third most behind Russia on 92 and India on 65.
During a visit to Kenya earlier this month, World Athletics President Seb Coe said there was "no suggestion" of state-sponsored doping in Kenyan athletics.
Kenya is one of seven Category A nations deemed by the AIU to have the highest doping risk.
Diana Kipyokei and Lawrence Cherono, both former Boston Marathon winners, are among the high-profile Kenyan athletes currently banned.
The Kenyan Government announced in November that it was committing $25 million (£20.5 million/€23.7 million) to fighting doping.
Meanwhile, Olympic and world marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has warned against doping.
The 38-year-old, who is considered among the best long-distance athletes of all time, also warned his compatriots that using drugs to enhance their performances on the track and field will also negatively impact their health
"Let each and every athlete make it a personal decision to protect their career and health," explained Kipchoge. "When you consistently use drugs, your health deteriorates. This affects your sporting career and personal life."
A total of 55 athletes were banned for doping, eight of them provisionally in 2022, a statistic that places the spotlight on Kenya as a sporting powerhouse amid threats of a ban on the country from competing at international meets.
