ANTI-DOPING

Marathoner Tabitha Gichia banned for 7 years over doping

Her urine samples tested positive for testosterone booster Norandrosterone.

In Summary

• The athlete said that she was treated at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital where she was injected with Nandrolone to treat a headache and general body weakness .

• The anti - Doping Agency investigated the matter and found out that the dates references and stamps did not match those of the said Hospital.

Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei addresses athletes during an anti-doping seminar ahead of the national cross country championship in Eldoret
Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei addresses athletes during an anti-doping seminar ahead of the national cross country championship in Eldoret
Image: ERICK BARASA

Kenyan marathoner Tabitha Gichia  Wambui has been banned for seven years after testing positive for Norandrosterone.

Norandrosterone is on the list of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since it is a detectable metabolite of nandrolone, an anabolic-androgenic steroid.

The decision was arrived at by the Athletic Integrity unit's Disciplinary Tribunal.

The 37-year-old who finished seventh in the at the Copenhagen half marathon is a Kenyan athlete and a long distance runner.

She provided urine samples in 2021 at the Copenhagen Half marathon in Poland, where result findings indicated the presence of metabolite of Nandrolone.

In her defence, Wambui said she was had been treated at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital where she was injected with Nandrolone to treat a headache and general body weakness.

However, investigations by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya found that she did not attend the hospital on the said dates as medical reports at the hospital had no record of the outpatient number on the documents she submitted.

Meanwhile, another Kenyan athlete, Eglay Nafuna Nalyanya has similar charges pending before the tribunal.

The AIU has also provisionally suspended Philemon Lokedi with immediate effect after he tested positive for exogenous testosterone which also falls in the category of prohibited substances by WADA.


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