Rhonex Kipruto (front) of Kenya competes during the men's 10,000m at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Jia Yuchen)
Kenya's 10km road race world record holder Rhonex Kipruto has been provisionally suspended for an anti-doping violation after irregularities were detected in his athlete's biological passport.
NAIROBI, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's 10km road race world record holder and former world 10,000m bronze medallist, Rhonex Kipruto, has been provisionally suspended for an anti-doping violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Wednesday.
Kipruto becomes the second Kenyan distance runner to be banned by the AIU in as many days, after Nicholas Mboroto Kosimbei was suspended after being charged with Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Trimetazidine) on Tuesday.
Kipruto has been notified of a charge relating to irregularities in his athlete's biological passport, which detects possible irregularities in blood values assessed over time without an athlete testing positive for a banned substance.
Silver medalist, Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, gold medalist, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, and bronze medalist, Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya (from L to ), pose for photos during the awarding ceremony of men's 10,000m at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)
But in a swift rejoinder, Prague-based Ikaika Sport Agency has released a statement denying the athlete, who was only 19 when he won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, has doped.
"I don't cheat or dope! The truth is on my side. This is all I can say," Kipruto, who finished ninth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 10,000m, was quoted saying in the press release.
"The case has been under scrutiny for some time now, intensely engaging the agent, coach, and assistant coach, staff, and, of course, independent experts as well as the athlete himself.
"It is affecting Rhonex's mental and physical performance. We have already spent more than 30,000 US dollars, which is a huge amount of money in the distance running world," added Davor Savija, Rhonex Kipruto's agent at Ikaika Sports.
Rhonex Kipruto (L) of Kenya and Stephen Kissa of Uganda compete during the men's 10,000m final at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Kipruto is coached by revered Irish clergyman Colm O'Connell, who has over 50 years' experience in Kenya, and according to Ikaika, he too denies their runner has doped.
The 23-year-old first came to global attention when he won the 10,000m World Under 20 title in Nairobi.
He broke the world 10km record in Valencia on January 12, 2020, when he ran 26:24. ■