Kenya's former Olympic champion Kiprop gets four-year doping ban

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Kenya's former Olympic 1500 meters champion and three-time world champion Asbel Kiprop has been handed a four-year ban for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Saturday.

The 29-year-old, who also won three world championship golds, tested positive for the banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) in November 2017.

Kiprop had argued his urine sample, which was taken out of competition, could have been tampered with by his testers, who had given advance notice of their visit — a breach of testing protocol.

The AIU said the advance notice of the test and the 30 U.S. dollars that Kiprop paid to the anti-doping officer — apparently for miscellaneous expenses like refreshments and gas for his car — was clearly improper but couldn't have affected the test findings.

The AIU on Saturday suspended him for four years effective February 2018.

Kenya's Asbel Kiprop competes in the Men's 1500 meters semi-finals during the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships in London, August 11, 2017. /VCG Photo

Kiprop continues to maintain his innocence.

"I will consult my lawyer to see if I will appeal at CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), but no matter the outcome I will be back stronger."

Kiprop was awarded the 1500-meter gold medal from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing after original winner Rashid Ramzi tested positive for doping.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)