Beach to Beacon Champ Faith Chepkoech (29:50 10K/30:22 10,000m PB) Popped for EPO

EPO doesn't work on elite Kenyans anyway. So why is she banned?

At what point does World Athletics ban Kenya? They have to be rivaling Russia in terms of athletes who have been popped.

Nothing suspicious about basically running your 1500m pace (4:39 / mile) in a 10k (4:48 / mile) three years later.

Yes. This proves once more that EPO does not work. In any case she isn't an elite track runner, and therefore does not count whatsoever.

I have a friend in Eldoret. He trains with a lot of the big guns. He is far from a big gun himself but knows a lot of them. He doesn't deny that there is a big doping problem and says there is a lot of corruption that maintains the problem. But he also says that many of the athletes who are taking stuff really don't know that it's something illegal. Given that, I think when she says she was given an injection of something she didn't know by someone she didn't know is possible. Yes, it's hard to believe that an elite level runner in this era could have that happen to her. But who knows? If she's young and new to the sport and doesn't pore over running message boards maybe she really just trusted someone who told her the shot would help. That doesn't make it right and does nothing to address the problem but if that really happened I do feel a bit sorry for her.

The doping problem in Kenya is systemic, this is the 82nd Kenyan currently serving a doping suspension. If any other country had even half that amount they would be banned from competing at Worlds/Olympics.

AIU has been absolutely crushing it lately. Who would have thought that targeted and frequent testing would actually work?

Renato used to use the 'Kenyans never cheat (too religious and smiley and love their mothers too much), and the ones who are caught are so stupid they don't even realise they're doing anything wrong' excuse perhaps a decade ago.

Haven't heard it for a while.

Rosa athlete...

I'll believe Kenya is getting banned when it actually happens. They're hosting the Worlds next year. WA isn't going to ban the host country. It knew about Kenyan doping when they awarded them the meet. On top of that it would be a PR nightmare. They'd have to acknowledge that they're banning Kenya for a long standing and persistent doping. Nearly countless world records and podium finishes would fall under even more suspicion than they're under now. If Kenya was going to be banned it would already have happened.

Tokyo hosts Worlds next year, not Kenya.

Still, it is correct to be skeptical of a ban UNLESS Kenya starts to slip into terms of testing. There're fears of this because although the government has committed money to Athletics testing at the AIU's behest, but there's a funding shortfall for ADAK right now. It feels unlikely that the Kenyan government will let that happen, but who knows.

Is she definitely a Rosa athlete as someone here said? I don't see her promoted on the IG handle and there were some performances that could justify it.

Did she go to the ER after her assault? I know I would if some mysterious person came up to me and injected me with an unknown substance.

What’s the food truck scene like in Elliott and Iten?

What’s the food truck scene like in Eldoret and Iten?

Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Namibya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria .. and their mother South Africa.

All these countries have some degree of hostility...

but the old empire Sherifian will be the ruler with the next collapse of Algeria.

And its only starting ... tomorrow you will hear of Portugal (maybe later England).

Then sleep in your deep sleep.

Tokyo? Really? A friend who is always up on this told me it was Nairobi. Thanks for that. I'll still not believe Kenya will be banned until it happens.

Distance running is at the core of Kenyan identity. A ban from global competition would be viewed as an attack on the heart and soul of Kenya. Officials at IOC, WA, etc. do not have the guts to ban Kenya. A ban would prompt a massive political outcry probably followed by a quick reversal of the decision.

Is this a Robert Frost poem?

Nandrolone was a hot drug for a while alongside Tri Acetate. Now the old reliables EPO and Testosterone seem to be coming up more alongside some obscure substances.