Athletics Kenya reported on Tuesday (16 December) that Kenyan distance runner Wilson Kipsang missed an out-of-competition drugs test in November.
Kipsang, who won both the London and New York marathons this year, will now have one missed test recorded against him according to IAAF rules.
There will be no penalty as an athlete is only deemed to have breached doping rules if they have three “whereabouts failures” within an 18-month period. British Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu was banned from competition for 12 months in the build up to her 2007 IAAF World Championship victory for such a violation.
Athletics Kenya reported that Kipsang missed the test on 13 November and was requested to provide an explanation to the IAAF, which he did on 23 November.
Kipsang has responded, accusing Athletics Kenya of smearing his name by disclosing the missed test.
The 32-year-old said that Athletics Kenya’s statement was a “breach of privacy with malicious target to soil my name and effort.
“I have submitted all necessary required details and the matter was settled accordance to the governing law.
“Missing unwillingly a single test for the first time cannot amount to issuing a press statement by a national federation,” said the London Marathon winner. “I am not the only athlete who misses a test. I am not the first one in Kenya, neither in the whole world. Then, why Kipsang?”
He said he would seek legal action against the “unprofessional misconduct” of Athletics Kenya.
In recent years several Kenyan athletes have failed drugs tests, with Viola Chelangat Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo both receiving two year bans on Monday for failed doping tests. Five further athletes are said to have aroused suspicion.
Rita Jeptoo, the winner of the Boston and Chicago Marathons for the last two years has also failed an out-of-competition doping test and has been suspended pending the result of her B sample.
Kenyan government officials have blamed the increase in failed tests on the influence of foreign agents and Athletics Kenya’s failure to educate athletes properly.
