Jeptoo ban too lenient? IAAF appeal to be heard next month

What you need to know:

  • Athletics Kenya banned her from all competitions starting October 30, 2104 to October 29 this year. She will miss out on Rio Olympics.

An IAAF appeal seeking to increase three-time Boston Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo’s two-year ban due to a doping offence will be heard on July 7 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

If the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) wins the appeal, then Jeptoo will serve an additional two years, dashing her hopes of making a return in October this year.

Jeptoo failed an out-of-competition doping in September 2014 for blood-boosting hormone Erythropoietin (EPO) and was subsequently banned in January last year, the time when new World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) laws came to effect. Wada came up with stiff penalties for doping cheats, increasing the ban from a maximum of two to four years starting January last year.

Jeptoo’s case, coming amid several other similar doping infractions, was the biggest to hit Kenya, famed for its middle and long distance runners.

Jeptoo, 35, won back-to-back Boston and Chicago titles in 2013 and 2014 as well as Boston in 2006 – to top the two-year World Marathon Majors series standings last year.

Athletics Kenya banned her from all competitions starting October 30, 2104 to October 29 this year. She will miss out on Rio Olympics.

She was also denied the share of the marathon series jackpot of Sh90 million. The IAAF lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) claiming the ban imposed on Jeptoo was too lenient. Jeptoo had appealed against the ban and urged Cas to allow her to continue running while the matter is being resolved.

The IAAF appealed against the two-year ban “due to aggravating circumstances” which it argues warrant an extended period of ineligibility.

The case will take place at the Cas headquarters in Lausanne. However, Jeptoo and her lawyer will be contacted through tele-conference.

“We are ready and have hired a lawyer to represent us at the hearings. We shall wait for the matter to come up to know which direction it takes,” said AK President lieutenant general (Rtd), Jackson Tuwei on Tuesday.

IAAF’s Public Relations Deputy Director Chris Turner, could not comment on the details of the matter.

“The IAAF never comments on any anti-doping rule violation cases until they are definitively concluded. These are legal processes which follow IAAF Rules which are in accordance with those of the World Anti-Doping Code. In the case of Rita Jeptoo this matter is now at the appeals stage before CAS,” told Daily Nation Sport in an email communique on Tuesday.

He said the case was due last month, but was postponed to the first week of June.

It’s not clear for how long the IAAF wants the ban extended, but sources said it could be extended by up to eight years.