Kenyan Rita Jeptoo, winner of the Boston and Chicago Marathons, has been banned from Athletics for two years following her “B” sample testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO) in December 2014.
The 33-year-old becomes the 45th Kenyan athlete to have failed a doping test, after Moses Kiptuani questioned the Kenyan anti-doping system back in February 2013.
The ban was imposed only days after Athletics Kenya reported a further eight Kenyan athletes were suspended for between one to four years for taking performance-enhancing drugs.
The new anti-doping rules issued by Athletics Kenyan in January 2015 amid failed test reports has brought to light the wrong-doings of Kenya’s highest-profile athlete to be caught.
Jeptoo has the right to appeal her sanction to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however the Boston Athletic Association and Chicago Marathon have seperately stated that they will re-evaluate her victories after the IAAF completes the process, potentially resulting in a loss of over $500,000 in prize money.
The ban rules Jeptoo ineligible to compete at this year’s World Championships in Beijing and next year’s Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro.
