Fastest 10k runner Rhonex Kipruto banned for six years over doping allegations

Kenyan long-distance runner Rhonex Kipruto has faced a major setback as he has received a six-year ban after being allegedly found guilty in a doping case. All of the recent records that the athlete set while competing in different events will also be lost.

Due to an anti-doping violation, Kipruto was previously temporarily banned last year. The 24-year-old has been reportedly banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) until 2029 after irregularities were found in his athlete passport or blood samples.

Furthermore, all of his records from September 2018 to May 2023 have been disqualified, which includes the world record finish of 26:24, which he set in Valencia in 2020, and the 10,000m bronze medal victory from the World Championships in Doha in 2019.

In addition, Rhonex Kipruto placed eighth in the World Cross Country Championships and won the Diamond League final. He was also the world under-20 champion. He also competed for Kenya in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing ninth in the men's 10,000-meter event, a performance that will also be removed from the record books.

Athletics Weekly shared the update on the incident on Wednesday and wrote:

"World 10km record-holder Rhonex Kipruto has been banned for six years for irregularities in his athlete passport, due to doping. The Athletics Integrity Unit state that Kipruto "was involved in a deliberate and sophisticated doping regime over a period of time to artificially enhance his performance."

However, Rhonex Kipruto still has the chance to appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

What the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had to say about Rhonex Kipruto's case

IAAF World U20 Championships - Day 1

Rhonex Kipruto's most notable achievement came at the 2019 Stockholm Diamond League, where he blazed through the Swedish capital to clinch the title. With his career's latest development, it appears that all of this was for nothing.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) issued the following statement following the suspension (via BBC Sport):

"The Tribunal rejected Kipruto's defence, concluding the 'cause for the abnormalities in the ABP is more likely to be due to blood manipulation' such as through the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO)."

The authority further added that they are satisfied that Kipruto was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) and concluded by stating:

"There was 'no other plausible explanation' for the abnormal values."

However, the Kenyan has denied all the allegations by the AIU and questioned the accuracy of some blood samples in the case. It remains to be seen if he makes an appeal against the decision.