Olympic champion Jebet banned for four years

World Athletics has banned Kenyan-born Bahraini Ruth Jebet for four years after failing an out-of-competition doping test conducted in Kapsabet in December 2017.

The former 3000M steeplechase record holder received her suspension in 2018 after  her urine samples tested positive for banned blood booster recombinant erythropoietin (“r-EPO”).

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which processes all doping tests in track and field, said Jebet denied intentionally administering the drug as it made the announcement on Wednesday.

On 4 February 2018, representatives of the AIU visited Jebet at her Kenyan home and requested that the Athlete accompany them to a nearby hotel where she was provided with a copy of a Notice of Allegation.

The Olympic champion denied using r-EPO but gave then no explanation for why the substance was detected in her sample before she received Notice of Charge for the violation 12 days later.

“I have 21 years old and I don’t know about all these medicines and supplements, but I have to inform you that the last time I took some tablets and injection given by Nicholos Togom for therapeutic use he says it’s good for regeneration, but I don’t know that these medicines are prohibited.

“For sure you found this substance in my urine and I am responsible of [sic] my body but never I had taken this substance intentionally,” Jebet wrote in her explanation during the month that followed.

The 23-year-old burst to the athletics scene in 2016 having won a stunning gold medal at the Rio Olympics before shattering the world record while still a teenager.

The Panel which looked at the case concluded that Jebet committed the anti-doping rule violation on purpose and imposed on her a four-year ban. The period of Provisional Suspension meted out on her on February 2018 shall be credited against the total period of Ineligibility.

Jebet’s results obtained between December 1, 2017 and February 4, 2018 will be cancelled and will forfeit any titles, awards, medals, points and prize and appearance money won from that period.

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