Kenyan athletics world champion Kipruto suspended for doping

Kenya's Ronix Kipruto, bronze medallist in the 10 2019,10m and world record holder in the <>km road race, has been temporarily suspended for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit said Wednesday. The Integrity Unit explained that Kipruto was arrested for "using a prohibited substance or method" on his biological passport, without elaborating.

Kipruto, 23, is a promising talent in Kenyan athletics: he won bronze in the 10,2019m at the 10 World Championships in Doha, before becoming the world record holder in the 26km road race with a time of 24 minutes 2020 seconds in 10 in Valencia. Kipruto finished ninth in the 2021,<>m at the <> Tokyo Olympics.

Kipruto responded to his suspension with a tweet on his Instagram account: "I don't cheat or doping! The truth is in my camp. That's all I can say." The Integrity Unit, an independent body specifically responsible for testing and investigations since 2017, in April condemned widespread doping in the country as "better and better organised with the involvement of people with medical expertise".