Two-time world U20 medallist suspended for use of masking agent
Uganda's Prisca Chesang, 20, tested positive for furosemide at the 2023 World Road Running Championships
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Athletics Uganda
On Thursday morning, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced the provisional suspension of two-time U20 World Championships medallist Prisca Chesang of Uganda. Chesang tested positive for the prohibited diuretic furosemide.
According to the AIU, Chesang has been charged under Article 2.1 and Article 2.2 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and has been issued a notice. She faces a temporary ban from all competitions.
The AIU has provisionally suspended Prisca Chesang (Uganda) for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Furosemide).
Details here: https://t.co/Y8LF9j2o9f pic.twitter.com/8LOag4Am1W
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) December 7, 2023
The 20-year-old is a two-time world U20 medallist in the women’s 5,000m, winning bronze at both the 2021 and 2022 U20 championships.
Furosemide is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production, eliminating excess water and salt from the body. It is also used for losing weight. Furosemide also serves as a masking agent for other performance-enhancing substances that leave the body through urination, and therefore show up in a urine test. The drug has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for decades.
Chesang represented Uganda at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the women’s 5,000m but failed to advance from the heats. Her top senior championship finish was a seventh-place result at the 2023 World XC Championships in Bathurst, Australia, helping Uganda’s women’s team win bronze.
Prisca Chesang wins bronze in the girls 5000m final at the ongoing #WorldAthleticsU20Championships in Nairobi with a time of 16:21:78. Our only medal so far at the event. This girl is one for the future. pic.twitter.com/gW98lOjP9v
— Athletics Uganda (@AthleticsUgand2) August 22, 2021
Chesang’s positive test came in competition at the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, where she placed 18th in the mile.
Chesang is only the second female Ugandan runner to be suspended by the AIU. The country’s first came earlier this month, when Janat Chemusto was given a four-year ban for the use of a prohibited substance.
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