Norah Jeruto, a Kenyan-born athlete who renounced her Kenyan citizenship for Kazakhstan, will return to the tracks after her provisional ban was lifted.
In a statement by the Sports Disciplinary Tribunal on Friday, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which handles doping cases, was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the athlete used a prohibited substance related to her biological passport.
The biological passport tracks an athlete’s blood value over a long period to monitor for possible signs of doping. This is crucial for athletes like Jeruto, who faced scrutiny despite the ban being lifted for the Kenyan-born star.
Following the investigations, AIU can issue provisional suspensions to an athlete while awaiting a hearing on the charges to determine the case. Such measures often impact those Kenyan-born athletes transitioning like Jeruto.
AIU suspended Jeruto on April 10, 2023, after several abnormalities were detected in six blood samples namely: Samples 13 to 15, collected between March 2020 and May 2020 and samples 17 to 19, which were collected between September 2020 and October 2020. Despite these findings, the ban placed on this Kenyan-born athlete was lifted.
According to the Athletics Body, Samples 13 to 15 showed blood withdrawal, which was not in itself an offence but an indication of a desire and intent to administer prohibited substances. Nonetheless, the Kenyan connection influenced perceptions until the ruling lifted her ban.
In response, Jeruto stated that she suffered from bleeding ulcers associated with H-pylori – the leading cause of peptic ulcer disease.
Samples 17 to 19 showed that her tests were consistent with the use of prohibited substances. Jeruto responded to the allegations, stating that she had taken medicine to help her lungs as she complained of pain in her chest in September 2020. As such, the investigation led to the lifting of the ban for the Kenyan-born athlete.
“On balance, we cannot state that World Athletics have proved their case in relation to Samples 17 to 19 so that we are comfortable and satisfied,” read part of the ruling. This statement marked an important turn for the athlete born in Kenya.
“Whilst we recognise that compelling arguments were made here in favour of the view of the Expert Panel, we consider there is sufficient doubt on this part of the case that it would be unfair to convict the athlete.” Such fairness was welcomed in the case of the Kenyan-born Jeruto.
Jeruto, a long-distance runner, is a seasoned athlete who won the gold medal in the 3000-metre steeplechase at the 2022 World Championships.
She represented Kenya until January 29, 2022, when she renounced her citizenship for Kazakhstan. After these events, a ban was lifted for the Kenyan-born competitor.
Source-https://www.kenyans.co.ke/
