Sh6.9 million Nairobi City Marathon winner Agness Jeruto Barsosio banned for doping

Agness Jeruto Barsosio, who pocketed a cool Sh6.9 million for winning the inaugural Nairobi City Marathon, formally Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon last year, has been banned for five years for doping violation.

Barsosio, 41, was handed the sentence by the Athletics Integrity Union (AIU) on Monday after she admitted having violated the anti-doping rules and further waiving any decision to contest the ruling.

The ban that has been reduced by one year after the athlete accepted responsibility, runs from September 6, this year with her results dating back to May 9, last year being cancelled.

Barsosio, the 2019 Hangzhou Marathon and 2017 Paris Marathon champion, could keep her purse from the Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon with the race having been held on May 8 last year.

AIU suspended Barsosio on August 11 after they discovered anomalies in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

AIU notified Barsosio about the adverse findings in her ABP on May 16, this year as the World Athletics integrity body to file an explanation for the adverse passport finding by May 26, this year.

Barsosio filed her explanation on May 25, attributing the abnormalities to altitude changes in Kenya, irregular menstruation, irregular training and irregular diet specifically in relation to iron-rich foods.

However, after the review by a panel of experts, her explanation was rejected with experts opining that the variations in Barsosio’s ABP might have been as a result of the use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method of blood doping.

That is when the AIU issued Barsosio with a Notice of Charge confirming that she was being charged with an anti-doping rule violation.

Barsosio clocked two hours, 24 minutes and 45 seconds to win the Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon and also pocket Sh6.9m, beating Shyline Jepkorir and 2011 World marathon bronze medallist Sharon Cherop.

Barsisio, who has not competed since then, failed to defend her title this year owing to a hamstring injury.

Barsosio’s sister, Stella, 2021 Rotterdam Marathon champion, was in February this year handed a two-year ban for doping by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

Stella and 2019 Standard Chartered Bank Nairobi Marathon champion Purity Changwony, were kicked out from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year for doping offences.

That left 2020 Los Angeles Marathon champion Margaret Wangari to fly the national flag alone in the women's marathon whee she won silver.

Barsosio was provisionally suspended in August alongside the 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist Rogers Kwemoi, who is also the 2016 world under- 20 10,000m champion.

The Barsosio sisters and Kwemoi join the long list of Kenyan athletes who are either provisionally suspended, or serving lengthy bans for varying doping offences this year.

ADAK provisionally suspended 20 more athletes for various doping offences in June this year.

Fasting rising 100 metres sprinter Samuel Imeta, 2021 World Under-20 3,000m silver medallist Zena Jemutai and Africa 800m champion Jarinter Mawia are some of the elite athletes who were flagged down.

Imeta’s case cost Kenya a place in men’s 4 x100m at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary last month.