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2021 Boston Marathon champion Diana Kipyokei suspended for doping violations

Kipyokei and fellow Kenyan Betty Wilson Lempus both tested positive for triamcinolone acetonide and were found to have interfered with the investigations into their cases

diana kipyogei Photo by: Kevin Morris

2021 Boston Marathon winner Diana Kipyokei, along with another Kenyan athlete, Betty Wilson Lempus (winner of the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris in September 2021) have been provisionally suspended for doping violations, including testing positive for prohibited substances and for tampering or attempting to tamper with the investigation. (In our story about the 2021 Boston Marathon, Kipyokei is referred to as Diana Kipyogei.)

Kipyokei tested positive for a metabolite of triamcinolone acetonide on Oct. 11, 2021, following her victory at Boston. Lempus tested positive for the same drug after her race in Paris on Sept. 5, but was initially cleared, based on her explanation for the positive test. She has now been charged with providing false information.

Triamcinolone acetonide is prohibited under WADA’s category S9: glucocorticoids. In a press release, the Athletics Integrity Unit explains that glucocorticoids are sometimes used for therapeutic purposes but are prohibited in competition because they may enhance performance; athletes who test positive who cannot produce a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) are guilty of a doping violation and subject to suspension.

The press release goes on to state that 10 Kenyan athletes have tested positive for this substance between 2021 and 2022–a marked increase from previous years, including yesterday’s announcement of the suspension of Sierre Zinal winner Mark Kangogo for three years. 

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), which organizes the Boston Marathon, posted a notice on its website today that in light of the findings, Kipyokei’s victory would be disqualified, pending any appeal by the athlete, and that it would adjust race rankings and provide “prize award adjustments” in an appropriate manner once Kipyokei’s suspension is confirmed. It further stated that “The Boston Athletic Association supports strict anti-doping measures to ensure fair competition and clean sport. Athletes in the professional divisions at the Boston Marathon are tested in accordance with the guidelines set forth by World Athletics, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The B.A.A. is committed to providing a fair environment for competition and supports all measures that ensure the integrity of the sport.”

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