Doping costs marathoner Commonwealth Games slot

Once again, doping scourge reared its ugly head after long distance runner Philemon Kacheran, who was to represent Kenya in marathon at Commonwealth Games was stopped in his tracks.

Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) provisionally suspended Kacheran for the use of a prohibited substance, exogenous Testosterone on July 8 this year but the notification was posted on AIU website on Thursday.

Kacheran’s suspension comes six days after the 2019 Chicago and Boston Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono was stopped just a day before competing in marathon at the ongoing World Athletics Championships on Sunday.

The move left two athletes to compete for Kenya, Geoffrey Kamworor and Barnabas Kiptum, who finished fifth and 15th respectively in a race swept by Ethiopians Tamirat Tola and Mosinet Geremew.

Michael Githae, who was put on the reserve list, now replaces Kacheran in the team that has Eric Kiptanui and Jonathan Korir.
Marathon team will open the athletics program at the Commonwealth Games on July 30.

Kacheran and Cherono join a list of Kenyan athletes who have been sanctioned this year for various doping offences in the last one year.

Also Kenya’s middle distance runner Eglay Nalianya was suspended from participating at the World Indoor Championships in March in Serbia, for the use of a Norandrosterone.

Long distance runner Mathew Kisorio was banned in April this year for the second time for four years for his whereabouts alongside Justus Kimutai and Morris Munene Gachaga, who got two years each for a similar offence.

Another distance runner, Joyce Chepkirui, was suspended by the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) for four years in March this year for discrepancies in his Athletes Blood Passport.

Two-time Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata is among four Kenyans, who were flagged down by AIU in February.

AIU suspended Lonyangata, who won Paris Marathon back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 before finishing third in 2019, on January 24, this year for the use of prohibited substance Furosemide.

Lonyangata had been named in the provisional marathon team for the 2019 World Athletics Championships but later withdrew due to injury.

Edward Kiprop Kibet, 22, who is just from finishing second at Mitja Marato International Vil de Santa Pola Half Marathon on January 23, was flagged down on February 8, this year for the use of prohibited Nandrolone.

Lonyangata and Kibet’s suspension comes moments after Tabitha Wambui and Vane Nyaboke were suspended for the use of banned Norandrosterone.

Wambui failed the test on October 20, last year while Nyaboke, who has also been charged with tampering of evidence, was caught on November 9, last year.

They are among eight Kenyan athletes who have been suspended in just months due to various doping offences.

Others are Joyce Chepkirui, Mark Otieno, Rachel Mutgaa and Nicholas Kiptoo.

Cherono and Kacheran’s suspension is another occurrence when Kenya's athletes are either about to or taking part in a major championship.

Besides Nalianya, Cherono and Kacheran, Kenya's sprinter Mark Otieno was suspended hours from taking the blocks in men's 100m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.