Nairobi — Kenyan marathoner Philemon Kacheran has been slapped with a three-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for presence/prohibited use of Testosterone.

Kacheran had been initially suspended just as he was preparing to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and now, with hearings concluded, a guilty verdict has been passed on him and he will now be ineligible to compete until 2025, July.

He was set to be handed a four-year ban, but a year was reduced from the standard time as he had accepted the rule violation.

"On 12 September 2022, the Athlete returned a signed Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form confirming that he admitted the Anti-Doping Rule Violations and accepted the asserted period of Ineligibility," a statement from the AIU read.

It added; "The Athlete shall therefore receive a one (1) year reduction in the asserted period of Ineligibility pursuant to Rule 10.8.1 based on an early admission and acceptance of sanction."

According to the AIU, the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland reported an Adverse Analytical Finding in the Sample for the presence of Testosterone and its Metabolites2 consistent with exogenous origin.

The AIU reviewed the Adverse Analytical Finding and determined that the Athlete did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption that had been granted for the Testosterone an its metabolites found in the Sample.

Kacheran was subsequently informed of the results on July 8, just over three weeks before competing at the Commonwealth Games where he had been selected to represent Team Kenya and given an opportunity to file responses.

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He requested for an extension of the week-long deadline given and was handed an extension to August 29. He then made his responses, admitting to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation.