Kenya’s renowned 10km road race world record holder, Rhonex Kipruto, faces a six-year ban due to irregularities discovered in his Athlete Biological Passport.
This decision follows his provisional suspension on May 11, 2023, for violating anti-doping rules.
As a consequence, the 24-year-old will lose his 10km road race world record, achieved in Valencia in 2020, along with the 10,000m bronze medal secured at the 2019 World Championships. The ban extends until May 2029.
An Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) monitors an athlete’s biomarkers throughout their career.
Significant changes in these markers can signal potential doping, prompting investigations.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) led the inquiry and determined that Kipruto’s ABP irregularities were likely due to blood manipulation, possibly involving recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO).
The disciplinary panel found ample evidence of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).
While Kipruto retains the option to appeal this decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, his current status reflects a significant setback in his career due to doping allegations.