Olympic champ fails drugs test
LONDON: Jemima Sumgong, who last year became the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold in the marathon, has tested positive for the banned bloodbooster EPO in an outofcompetition test carried out by the IAAF, the sport’s governing body said yesterday.
The IAAF can confirm that an antidoping rule violation case concerning Jemima Sumgong (Kenya) has commenced this week, the International Association of Athletics
Federations said in a statement.
‘‘The athlete tested positive for EPO (Erythropoietin) following a nonotice test conducted by the IAAF in Kenya.
‘‘This was part of an enhanced IAAF outofcompetition testing programme dedicated to elite marathon runners which is supported by the Abbott World Marathon Majors group.’’
If Sumgong’s B sample is confirmed as positive and she is subsequently banned it will be a massive blow for African distance powerhouse Kenya, where her Rio victory was greeted with neardelirium after such a long and inexplicable barren spell over the classic distance at the Olympics.
Kenya took silver in the women’s marathon at the three previous Games and a bronze in 2000 having failed to medal before that after the race was introduced to the Games in 1984.
Sumgong (32) had a stellar 2016, winning the London Marathon in April then claiming the elusive Olympic gold in Rio despite being disturbed by a protester on the course.
Sumgong’s former compatriot Eunice Jepkirui, who switched allegiance to Bahrain in 2013, took silver.
Eliud Kipchoge won the men’s race to complete a Kenyan double.