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Athletics In Kenya Under Scrutiny After Jeptoo Doping Scandal

Athletics In Kenya Under Scrutiny After Jeptoo Doping Scandal

From Business Insider

Kenya’s athletics bosses came in for fierce criticism on Saturday after it emerged Rita Jeptoo, currently the world’s leading female marathon runner, tested positive in an out-of-competition anti-doping test.

A senior Athletics Kenya official, vice president Jackson Tuwei, has revealed to AFP that Jeptoo’s ‘A’ sample had contained traces of the blood-boosting drug EPO, the same  blood-boosting drug used by Lance Armstrong to cheat his way to seven Tour de France wins.

The revelation has stunned Kenya, whose naturally gifted distance runners are a major source of national pride, but has also left Athletics Kenya bosses facing renewed allegations of having ignored a worsening problem.

“If Kenya wants to win back, or at least buffer the loss of trust that is inevitable as a result of the Jeptoo test, then it must immediately and without delay open the system up to independent international scrutiny,” wrote Ross Tucker, a prominent South African sports scientist.

 

Written by Stefan Smith, Ailéen Kimutai/Read more at Business Insider