The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) have slapped Kenyan marathoner Caren Cheptoek with a two-year ban after testing constructive for a banned substance.
The company reveals that the 31-year-old examined constructive for methylprednisolone within the aftermath of her second place end on the Taipei Marathon in December final yr.
“On 27 January 2025, the World Anti-Doping Company (“WADA”) accredited laboratory in Tokyo, Japan (the “Laboratory”) reported an Hostile Analytical Discovering within the Pattern based mostly on the presence of Methylprednisolone (the “Hostile Analytical Discovering”),” the company mentioned of their report.
Subsequently, Cheptoek claimed to have taken a number of medicines, which she suspected might have been liable for the banned substance.
Nonetheless, upon evaluation of the medicines, AIU revealed that none of them contained methylprednisolone.
“On 14 February 2025, the Athlete responded to the AIU by e-mail stating that she had been taking drugs which she believed had triggered the Hostile Analytical Discovering. Nonetheless, following overview of the data supplied, the AIU knowledgeable the Athlete that the medication that the Athlete had referred to was not methylprednisolone and that there was no proof to point that it contained Methylprednisolone,” they mentioned.
The athlete lastly admitted the cost, noting that the banned substance could have been in one of many dietary supplements she drank throughout her lengthy runs.
“On 17 February 2025, the Athlete wrote to the AIU stating, inter alia, that she had tried to think about what she might have taken to elucidate the Hostile Analytical Discovering and famous that her coaching group shared complement drinks, particularly on lengthy runs. The Athlete acknowledged that she would “settle for the whole lot” and “signal the papers and wait on your resolution,” the AIU revealed.
Cheptoek had clocked 2:32:53 to complete second within the Taipei Marathon in what was her third podium end of the yr.
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She had additionally claimed second on the KGL Millenium Marathon in Accra in September in addition to on the Jakarta Worldwide Marathon in June.
The 31-year-old boasts a number of titles to her identify together with the Kaohsiung 25km race (2016) and the Kaohsiung Fubon Worldwide Marathon (2023).
Following her ban, AIU have disqualified Cheptoek’s outcomes on and since December 15, together with prize cash, look, titles and any awards.
