NAIROBI —
Kenyan marathoner Esphond Cheruiyot has been handed a three-year ban after admitting to doping just hours after being notified of his positive test, in what officials described as one of the fastest admissions ever recorded by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
The 24-year-old tested positive for Trimetazidine, a banned metabolic modulator, following his impressive second-place finish at the Buenos Aires International Marathon on September 21. His urine sample, collected after the race, was analysed at a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Barcelona, which confirmed the violation on October 20.
Cheruiyot, who clocked 2:09:46 in his full marathon debut—just 25 seconds behind Ethiopia’s Habtamu Birlew Denekew—was informed of the finding three days later. Instead of contesting the result, he signed an admission form the same day, accepting full responsibility.
In its statement, the AIU said:
“Cheruiyot submitted a signed confession on the very same day he was notified of his positive test, a rare occurrence in international athletics.”
Under anti-doping rules, the standard punishment for such a violation is four years. However, because Cheruiyot immediately admitted guilt, his suspension was reduced by one year.
The AIU confirmed that all of his results since September 21, including his Buenos Aires performance, have been annulled.
Cheruiyot’s case adds to a growing list of Kenyan athletes sanctioned for doping. In recent weeks, middle-distance runner Esther Gitahi received a four-year ban after testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), while world marathon record holder Ruth Chepng’etich was suspended for three years after admitting to similar violations.
Kenya remains under global scrutiny for doping, with more than 70 athletes currently serving suspensions. The country has intensified testing and education campaigns, but incidents like Cheruiyot’s underscore the continuing challenge of maintaining integrity in athletics.
For now, the young runner’s swift confession—unusual in the world of elite sport—offers a moment of candour amid a long shadow of suspicion.