Former Commonwealth champion Chepkirui banned for four years after appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld an appeal against Joyce Chepkirui and banned the former Commonwealth Games champion for four years over an anti-doping violation.

Chepkirui was provisionally suspended from competition by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in July 2019 for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation following investigation into alleged abnormalities detected in her blood tests.

The AIU, which oversees integrity issues in international athletics, including doping, referred her matter to the Athletics Kenya which forwarded the case to the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) for disciplinary action.

In August 2020, the former African women 10,000m champion appealed against her by ADAK at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) who ruled to dismiss the matter and the copy of the appealed decision sent to AIU.

An oral hearing was requested by the CAS following a cross appeal from the AIU upon which the ruling was made.

“The appeal filed on 5 March 2021 by World Athletics with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision of the Sports Disputes Tribunal of the Republic of Kenya dated 19 November 2020 is upheld.

“The decision of the Sports Disputes Tribunal of the Republic of Kenya dated 19 November 2020 is set aside,” the CAS said in a statement.

The former Amsterdam Marathon champion’s four-year ban commences from 28 June 2019 and all her results achieved between 6 April 2016 and 4 August 2017 are nullified.

ADAK, which missed Chepkirui’s hearing at the CAS, has been ordered to pay Sh247,000 to World Athletics as contribution to the legal fees.  

Kenya is known for its middle and long-distance running pedigree but has suffered damage to its reputation due to a number of doping violations in recent years.