Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned marathoner Josephine Chepkoech for seven years after she was found guilty of using the banned drug testosterone.
The ban will take effect on May 7, 2024, and her results from February 18, 2024, have been annulled.
The suspension is the consequence of her second doping infringement, which involved the banned drug testosterone during the Seville marathon on February 18, 2024. Her race results were revoked.
The 35-year-old was provisionally suspended by the AIU on May 7, 2024, following positive first testing.
She was issued a Notice of Allegation (NOA) for breaking Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the anti-doping.
The statement from the AIU implies that the athlete accepted the judgment.
"On 9 May 2024, the athlete sent two e-mails to the AIU stating “Accepted, “and I have accepted," AIU said.
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"On May 2024, The AIU received an admission of anti-doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of consequences form signed by the athlete". AIU statement
Chepkoech has previously faced anti-doping punishment, including a two-year suspension from 2015 to 2017 for breaking anti-doping regulations.
Accepting the verdict and prompt reaction reduced her suspension from eight to seven years.
Chepkoech made her marathon debut 2018 in the Nairobi Marathon, where she dominated the women's race.
