World Marathon Champion Eliud Kipchoge Issues Warning To Doping Kenyan Athletes

By Samuel Ouma The reigning Olympics and World Marathon Champion Eliud Kipchoge has warned his fellow Kenyan athletes against using drugs to enhance their performance in the field. According to Kipchoge, drugs will not only attract a ban but also impact their health negatively. "Let each and every athlete make it a personal decision to protect their career and health. When you consistently use drugs, your health deteriorates. This affects your sporting career and personal life," said Kipchoge. Kipchoge spoke at the Tecno Phantom X2 series phone launch in Nairobi on Tuesday night. He is the brand ambassador for Tecno. A total of 55 athletes received doping-related bans, eight of them on a temporary basis in 2022, amid threats to bar the nation from participating in international competitions. Sprinter Mark Otieno Odhiambo, Alice Jepkemboi Kimutai and Mayo Johnstone Kibet were the latest to be banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in December 2022. While Odhiambo was banned for two years, Alice and Kibet were barred from participating in all international competitions for three years each. They were found guilty of using an illegal substance to improve their performance.