Kenyan distance runner Rhonex Kipruto has been stripped of his world record in men’s 10-kilometer road racing and issued a six-year ban due to a doping case. The disciplinary panel found that abnormalities in Kipruto’s blood samples suggested a deliberate doping scheme with potential assistance from unknown third parties. This decision came at a time when Kipruto was striving to qualify for the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The panel chose to impose a longer ban of six years, citing the “aggravating circumstances” of the case rather than the standard four-year doping ban. As a result, Kipruto has been disqualified from all of his results since September 2018, leading to the loss of his world championship bronze medal in the 10,000 meters from 2019 and his 10k road record from 2020. The latter record is now expected to be held by Ethiopian runner Berihu Aregawi, who achieved a time of 26 minutes and 33 seconds in the 10k last year, just nine seconds slower than Kipruto’s previous record.
The case against Kipruto did not involve the presence of banned substances in his system. Instead, it relied on data from his biological passport, which monitors athletes’ blood samples over time for any irregularities that may indicate blood doping. Kipruto’s defense attempted to attribute his irregular blood results to illnesses, changes in training habits, and increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also questioned the validity of some blood samples presented in the case.
In response to the panel’s decision, a statement on Kipruto’s website indicated that he is contemplating an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The statement made by unnamed legal counsel on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, claiming that key aspects of Kipruto’s health and circumstances were overlooked. This incident adds to the ongoing series of doping cases involving Kenyan distance runners
