(Reuters) – Kenyan marathon runner Titus Ekiru has received a 10-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) as announced on Monday. The ban is a result of his involvement in doping and tampering, which included collaboration with a senior doctor in a Kenyan hospital.
One of Ekiru’s positive drug tests, detecting the presence of triamcinolone acetonide, occurred during the Milan Marathon in May 2021, a race that he won and achieved a time of two hours, two minutes, and 57 seconds, which would presently rank him as the seventh-fastest marathon athlete of all time.
The AIU’s investigation discovered that the 31-year-old obstructed their inquiries into two adverse analytical findings (AAFs) by providing false information and documentation.
Ekiru’s ban is effective from the day of his provisional suspension on June 28, 2022, until June 27, 2032. Furthermore, his results from May 16, 2021 onwards have been nullified, and he must relinquish any race prizes and earnings.
Following his triumph in the Abu Dhabi Marathon on November 26th, Ekiru also tested positive for pethidine and its marker norpethidine.
An investigation revealed that Ekiru received banned substance injections during unrecorded visits to the hospital. The AIU determined that medical documents employed by Ekiru to account for his AAFs were counterfeit and inconsistent with hospital and pharmacy records.
“For athletes involved in doping and the entourage who assist them, there is one strong message from this case – there is nowhere to hide,” conveyed AIU chair David Howman.
Between 2017 and 2021, Ekiru achieved victory in a minimum of 10 marathons and half-marathons.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
