The Athletics Integrity Unit has provisionally suspended Kenyan long-distance runner Kemei Elias Kiprono after finding him guilty of using the banned substance Trimetazidine.
In a statement, the AIU announced that Kiprono, 25, had received a Notice of Charge for violating Article 2.1 and Article 2.2 of its anti-doping regulations.
“The AIU has provisionally suspended Kemei Elias Kiprono (Kenya) for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Trimetazidine),” the AIU stated.
The Tuesday afternoon suspension prohibits Kiprono from participating in any athletic competition until a final decision is reached at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.
In December last year, Kemei garnered attention when he led Kenya to a 1-2 victory at the Pune Marathon in India.
Kiprono secured the gold medal in the men’s full marathon (42.195km), finishing in 2 hours 16 minutes and 5 seconds, while another Kenyan, Simon Mwangi, clinched silver with a time of 2:17:04.
Following the positive test, Kemei now joins a lengthy roster of suspended Kenyan athletes, including Josephine Chepkoech, Beatrice Toroitich, Rodgers Kwemoi, Rhonex Kipruto, Purity Changwony, Lawrence Cherono, Ibrahim Mukunga, Salina Jebet, Nicholas Mboroto, and Jackline Wambui.
Chepkoech was the most recent addition to this list, having been provisionally suspended last Wednesday due to the presence of Testosterone Metabolites or the use of a prohibited substance (Testosterone).
