The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Friday announced Kenyan athlete Emmacutale Anyango had been suspended indefinitely after she was found to have allegedly engaged in doping.
In its announcement, AIU revealed that Anyango who is the world’s second-fastest female athlete in 10,000 km races was banned after she tested positive for high levels of testosterone. Testosterone is commonly known to increase muscle size and strength.
Testosterone also increases one’s aerobic endurance, decreases fat mass, leads to faster recovery from high-exertion exercise and further increases muscular power.
“The AIU has provisionally suspended Emmaculate Anyango Achol (Kenya) for the presence or use of a prohibited Substance, Testosterone and EPO,” read part of a statement by AIU.
World’s fastest 10,000 km athlete Emmaculate Anyango
Photo
Olympics
The AIU’s announcement means that the athlete will remain suspended until her case on the alleged use of the prohibited substance is heard and determined. If she is found guilty then Emmanculate shall be liable to a four-year ban.
Anyango who hails from Kericho County, has won several medals both locally and globally. In 2019, she won a silver medal after emerging third in the 3000-metre race at the Under21 African Championship in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
In January 2023, Emmaculate won the Discovery Kenya Cross Country Championship. During the same year, she won the 10,000 metres at the Meeting Gala Fernanda Ribeiro in Portugal.
At the start of this year, the athlete participated in the Valencia Ibercaja competition, becoming the second woman ever to run a 10km event in less than 29 minutes.
The latest decision comes as a huge blow to the first rising, youthful athlete who had begun making waves across the continent and even globally.
Nonetheless, Anyango joins the long list of Kenyan athletes who have so far been banned by the global watchdog over allegations of using banned substances to enhance performance.
In June this year, AIU banned four Kenyan athletes for different durations over allegations of using banned substances. In a statement, the agency announced that Sophy Jepchirchir, Ibrahim Wachira, Elias Kemei and Nicholas Kosimbei had been found guilty of using prohibited substances.
AIU confirmed banning Sophy Jepchirchir for three years, and Kemei for four years alongside Ibrahim Wachira who was also banned for four years. Meanwhile, Nicholas Kosimbei was banned for 3 years after a laboratory test revealed the presence of a prohibited substance Trimetazidine.
“The Athlete has not demonstrated that the Anti-Doping Rule Violations were not intentional. Therefore, the mandatory period of ineligibility is a period of Ineligibility of four (4) years,” AIU announced.
Athletes participate at a past Generali Maratón Málaga in Spain
Photo
Generali Maratón Málaga
