by Alfonz JuckThe term, ‘Whereabouts’, is now in the lexicon of athletic enthusiasts. With the provisional bans of Christian Coleman, and Saiwa El Naser, the Athletics Integrity Unit has continued an aggresive approach on whereabouts and testing. It is only way sport gains credibility.
Elijah Manangoi, photo by Eugene.Diamondleague.com
Elijah Manangoi is the most recent whereabouts catch.
So, what gives in Kenyan athletics? Is it better testing, is it corruption, is it ineptitude? Perhaps, as noted in USA Today story below, it is a combination!
Check out this story noting that Kenyan Athletics is not corrupt, merely inept: https://www.usatoday.com/
AIU NEWS
MONACO (MON): Former world 1500m champion Elijah Manangoi has been provisionally suspended after being charged with whereabouts failures. The Kenyan reacted in a statement: “News of my suspension by the AIU for three missed tests is really devastating for me and I’m trying to get my head around it. What I can say is that each of the missed tests came in 2019, my case has nothing to do with prohibited substances and I’ve always competed as a clean athlete. Last year was the worst period of my career when I was upset through injury, which impacted everything on and off the track. I know I’ve let people down, in particular my coach and fellow athletes, and I also know that, no matter what I say here, I’ll be criticised. The facts of the case are clear in mind and I’m sure there will be a time when it is appropriate to go into more detail. But right now I am focussed on preparing a response to the AIU so won’t be commenting further.”
MONACO (MON): Kenyan Patrick Siele, who has run 60:43 for the half-marathon, has been provisionally suspended by the AIU for a doping offence. He is charged with “evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection”.
MONACO (MON): Kazakhstan sprint hurdler Natalya Ivoninskaya has been banned for two years following a retest of her samples from the 2012 Olympics. Her performances from 6 August 2012 to 5 August 2014 are annulled. She ran her PB of 12.68 just before the start of that period.
MONACO (MON): Kenyan distance runner Mercy Kibarus has been banned for eight years after testing positive for Norandrosterone. The ineligibility applies from December 2019 and her two top-10 performances from marathons last autumn will be expunged from the records. Kibarus was fifth at the 2014 World Half and had bests of 68:18 and 2:26:52.
MONACO (MON): Former African 10,000m champion Kenneth Kiprop Kipkemoi has received a two-year doping ban. After testing positive for terbutaline, the Kenyan will be out until February 2022. He was third in the 2019 Boston Marathon and has PBs of 59:01 and 2:05:44.
