London Marathon winner Wilson Kipsang suspended by AIU

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Two-time London Marathon winner and former world record holder, Wilson Kiprotich Kipsang, received a provisional suspension Friday by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

The AIU said the suspension is due to “for whereabouts failures and tampering, both violations of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.”

The 37-year-old high-profile Kenyan runner has won many races in across the world. In the 2013 Berlin Marathon he claimed the world record after crossing the finish line in 2.03.23.

The rate at which Anti-Doping Rule Violations are coming out of Kenya has pushed the country to enact policies that will impose criminal charges and jail terms by 2020 to anyone found doping in a bid to curb the practice.

Kenya is among the top-ranked countries for World Athletics Championships competitions and 41 athletes have been sanctioned by the body for doping allegations.

A 2018 World Anti-Doping Agency report notes “between 2004 and 1 August 2018, a total of 138 Kenyan athletes (from all sports) had tested positive for Prohibited Substances.”