Claims by former Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop that he was tipped off about a drugs test and that doping control officers extorted money from him have been dismissed by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
The 28-year-old three-time world champion tested positive for banned blood-boosting agent EPO having undergone a test in Iten, Kenya, in November 2017.
He denies doping and alleges he was given prior notice of the test – a violation of the rules – and was then asked for money by officials.
The AIU has confirmed both the A and B samples given by Kiprop proved positive and also rejected his allegation officials tried to extort money out of him.
The middle-distance runner, who won 1500m Olympic gold in 2008, released a statement in which he said: “I did not at the time expect that the request for the money had anything to do with the sample.
“It is not beyond my suspicion that my sample turned positive because I might have remitted less money than I was expected to remit.”
After investigating Kiprop’s allegations, the AIU confirmed an adverse analytical finding and rejected his claims over alleged bribery but also confirmed there was evidence he had been tipped off about the test by a doping control assistant who is known to him.
The AIU released a statement which read: “The advanced notice of testing given by the doping control assistant could not reasonably have caused EPO to be present in Mr Kiprop’s sample and, as such, the departure does not invalidate the adverse analytical finding.
“Mr Kiprop alleges that the confidentiality of the proceedings was breached by the AIU. This allegation is rejected. The AIU has fully adhered to the principle of confidentiality throughout.
“In relation to Mr Kiprop’s allegation that he was offered a ‘reward’ of being an IAAF ambassador on anti-doping, this is also rejected.”
Kiprop’s adverse analytical finding is the subject of an ongoing IAAF anti-doping tribunal investigation.
