Josephine Chepkoech faces a seven-year penalty by the Athletics Integrity Unit for using or possessing testosterone, a prohibited substance, starting on May 7, 2024.
The results from February 18 of this year for Chepkoech have also been ruled invalid. On May 9, 2024, the AIU served the winner of the 2019 Geneva Marathon with a Notice of Allegation for breaking Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of its anti-doping policies, leading to a provisional suspension.
According to the AIU, Chepkoech gave a urine sample on February 18 while competing in the Seville Marathon, where she placed second. Her urine sample was examined, and the results showed that it included drugs that the World Athletics Anti-doping Agency has forbidden.
It was also mentioned that the athlete did not qualify for the so-called Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), which exempts users from using the drug.
The athlete acknowledged the decision, but this was the second time she had broken the anti-doping regulations and ended up in legal trouble. She had previously served the two-year, 2015–2017 period of ineligibility.
The athlete was given an eight-year suspension, but as she complied with the decision and responded promptly, her punishment has been reduced to seven years.
Chepkoech, meantime, made her marathon debut at the 2018 Nairobi Marathon, where she won in a time of 2:33:11 after dominating the women’s division. She participated in the Chengdu Marathon the previous season and placed fifth.
After her debut in the 2019 Sydney Marathon and Zurich Marathon, where she placed second, she went on to have a fantastic marathon running career. She placed fourth in the 2020 Zurich Marathon, her training run for the 2023 and 2024 marathons.
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