Kiprop denies doping accusation

Kiprop response: “I have been at the forefront of the fight against doping in Kenya, a fight I strongly believe in….

“I would not want to ruin all what I have worked for since my first international race in 2007. I hope I can prove I am a clean athlete in every way possible” https://t.co/t5g4ItI8JF

— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) May 2, 2018

1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop has issued a strongly worded response to a doping charge as reported by British media outlets yesterday. Kiprop says “I have remained faithful to my anti-doping convictions and I will be the last person to commit such an atrocious […] thing.”

RELATED: Former Olympic and world 1,500m champion reportedly tests positive for EPO

Kiprop was planning to race the 1,500m at the Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar tomorrow (Friday). He won his Olympic title in 2008 after the winner, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain was disqualified for failing a drug test. Kiprop is also a three-time World Champion in the event and a qualifier for both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. His personal best is 3:26.69, the fifth fastest 1,500m all-time. 

Kiprop notes a number of discrepancies surrounding the out-of-competition urine test, which he submitted to on November 27, 2017, including the fact that he was notified the day before that he would be tested; he also claims he was taking a flu medication at the time, and declared it to the doping control officers. He further notes that he has not had an injection of any kind since receiving a yellow fever vaccination before a competition in the Bahamas. (EPO is administered by injection.)

He claims the doping control officers (who he identifies by name) then extorted money from him, and suggests he must not have given them enough to ensure a negative test, though he denies making a connection between the request for money and the test. He further implies that the men may have tampered with the sample while he was looking for money to give them, since it was not sealed until after the money was exchanged.

Shaban later tweeted that the IAAF admitted its officers breached protocol by giving Kiprop advance notice of the test, and that they received money from him.

Kiprop insists he is innocent, ending his statement with the following: “I did not dope. I do not labour under the weight of the shame of doping.”

The full statement may be read here.