Nairobi — The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has sanctioned two athletes over various offences as the country steps up effort in the fight against drug-cheats.
Gloria Kite, a 5,000m specialist who represented Kenya at last year's World Championships has been suspended for two years for the presence of anabolic androgenic steroids.
At the same time, marathoner Stellah Barsosio, who won the 2021 Rotterdam Marathon, has also been sanctioned for the same period of time after testing positive for trimetazidine.
According to ADAK, Kite's sample was found positive and her explanation that it was from medication given to her in hospital held water.
The Anti-Doping watchdog said that Kite sought medication from a hospital and the medication she was given, contained banned substances and she had not sought Therapeutic Ise Exemption (TUE).
"We find that the athlete has established origin as her explanation has to our comfortable satisfaction provided support as to how the prohibited substance entered her body as that was through medication she obtained from her doctor. This is also consistent with the
written submissions by the applicant," a statement from ADAK reads.
It adds; "We therefore find that the Respondent has to our comfortable satisfaction established that there was no intention on her part to cheat. Be that as it may, we find that despite seeking treatment for her illness the athlete ought to have sought for Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) under Article 4.4 of the Code. There is no evidence that the athlete sought such exemption."
Meanwhile, Marathoner Barsosio also tested positive under similar circumstances.
According to her explanation, supported by the doctor who treated her, she was diagnosed with muscles spasm and soft tissue injury and administered some drugs.
According to ADAK, she disclosed the medication she was using at the material time in her Doping Control Form.
"Her knowledge of anti-doping is rudimentary as per our assessment of anti-doping education she has received," said the statement.
