Kenya’s multiple marathon winner Titus Ekiru handed 10-year ban for doping

Kenya’s long distance runner Titus Ekiru has officially been handed a 10-year ban from the sport after the Athletics Integrity Unity (AIU) confirmed its provisional suspension on the 31-year-old who was found guilty of serious doping violations.

In a statement released on Monday evening, AIU noted that the multiple marathon winner was handed the lengthy ban due to the Presence of Prohibited Substances (Triamcinolone Acetonide and metabolite; Pethidine and metabolite) and for Tampering with the AIU investigation process.

In the 12-paged decision, AIU details how Ekiru was found to have presented fake documents to try and explain the presence of the banned substances in his samples.

“The violations of Rule 2.5 committed by the Athlete (“the Tampering Violations”) relate to the explanations and supporting medical documents submitted to the AIU to explain the First Adverse Analytical Finding and the Second Adverse Analytical Finding.

On 7 April 2022, the AIU asked ADAK to conduct follow up enquiries with the Hospital in relation to the information received on 5 April 2022.

Based on the information received from the Hospital, the AIU considered that the Athlete’s explanations for the First Adverse Analytical Finding and the Second Adverse Analytical Finding were not genuine and that the medical documents that he had submitted to corroborate those explanations were forged/fraudulent documents,” a part of the statement from AIU read.

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According to investigations carried out in collaboration with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Ekiru, who is a two-time Milano City Marathon winner, was found to have colluded with a medical practitioner to try and cover up for his two Adverse Analytical Findings after returning two positive tests.

The findings, that involved the Country government, revealed that the dates stated by the athlete in his defense were not accurate.

Additionally, the Pharmacy Registers showed that no triamcinolone acetonide which he had returned a positive test was dispensed on the dates he said and that the County Government had never purchased meperidine tablets for distribution to any hospital in the County, including the Hospital.

“The medical documents for 29 April 2021 and 6 May 2021 that the Athlete submitted to the AIU (viz. in respect of the First Adverse Analytical Finding) were not accurate or genuine and are forged/falsified documents that are inconsistent with the Hospital’s records for the following reasons,” parts of the statement read.

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Following the thorough investigation, Ekiru was charged with two counts of the Presence of a Prohibited Substance, as per Rule 2.1 of the of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), and two counts of Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control (ADR Rule 2.5) in July this year.

A six-year ban was imposed on the athlete by the AIU who treated the two Presence charges and the first Tampering or Attempted Tampering charge as a single ADRV.

Another mandatory four-year sanction was imposed for the second Tampering violation committed in connection with his explanation for the second AAF.

"Based on the seriousness of the violation(s) and the nature of the Aggravating Circumstances, the AIU considers that the period of Ineligibility of four (4) years may therefore be increased by the maximum period of two (2) years to a total of six (6) years.

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The Rule 2.5 ADR violation committed in connection with the Second Adverse Analytical Finding shall therefore be considered a stand-alone first violation, but the applicable period of Ineligibility of four (4) years shall be served consecutively to the period imposed for the underlying violation.

The total period of Ineligibility to be served by the Athlete is therefore a period of ten (10) years," the AIU confirmed.

With the decision, a ten-year period of ineligibility commencing on 28 June 2022 (the date of the Athlete’s Provisional Suspension) until 27 June 2032 was applied.

There was also a disqualification of the Athlete’s results on and since 16 May 2021 with all resulting consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points, prizes and appearance money.