Kenyan middle-distance runner Alfred Kipketer banned for two years

23-year-old Kenyan middle-distance runner Alfred Kipketer has been handed a two-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) over whereabouts failures.

The 2014 World Under-20 800 meters champion becomes the latest in a long list of Kenyan athletes banned over the same from the start of last year, the first in 2021.

Kipketer is reported to have had four whereabouts failures, from having missed the first test on 27 November 2017 to the fourth on 11 September 2019.

“The Athlete has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the ADR by virtue of having had four Missed Tests in the twelve-month period beginning on 27 November 2018, specifically, a missed Test on 27 November 2018, 16 March 2019, 5 August 2019 and 11 September 2019,” explained AIU.

According to the AIU, whereabouts failures are interpreted as follows:

“Any combination of three Missed Tests and/or Filing Failures, as defined in the International Standard for Testing and Investigations, within a twelve-month period by an Athlete in a Registered Testing Pool.”

The AIU has banned middle-distance runner Alfred Kipketer of Kenya for 2 years for whereabouts failures, a violation of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules.
???????https://t.co/cBkQOqSHT4#AIUNews pic.twitter.com/uc9MB2y4jb — Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) January 8, 2021

“The AIU has banned middle-distance runner Alfred Kipketer of Kenya for 2 years for whereabouts failures, a violation of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules,” said AIU on Twitter.

Last year, Former 1,500 metres world champion Elijah Manangoi was been handed a two-year ban after missing three tests under whereabouts rules.  

Manangoi joined a list of Kenyan athletes who have been sanctioned in recent years, including 2008 Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, former Boston and Chicago Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo and 2016 Olympic marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong.