Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno has been banned for two years for breaching anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Otieno tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid methasterone and was suspended from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 moments before he was due to compete in the 100m heats.

The 29-year-old will serve a two-year ban backdated to July 2021, the AIU said. Kenyan marathoners Alice Jepkemboi Kimutai and Johnstone Kibet Maiyo were both banned for three years. Kimutai, who won the Porto marathon last month, tested positive for the male hormone testosterone at Kaptagat on September 20, with her ban starting on November 16.

Maiyo returned a positive test for erythropoietin (EPO) at the Kigali International peace marathon on May 20, 2022 with his ban starting on July 20 this year. Three-time national 100m champion Otieno blamed a contaminated nutritional supplement for his positive test, promising to "return in 2023 to do what I do best".

Kenya vowed early this month to clean up its act after escaping a World Athletics ban for doping that threatened to make the east African track and field powerhouse a sporting pariah. The athletics giant has been in the top category on the World-Anti Doping Agency watch list since February 2016, alongside only Bahrain, Belarus, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria and Ukraine. There are currently 55 Kenyans listed on the AIU's global list of ineligible athletes, last updated on November 21.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP