The world 10km record holder, Rhonex Kipruto, has vehemently denied violating anti-doping rules after he was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Wednesday morning.
The 23 year old said in his defence he has not done anything wrong, denying any wrongdoing, emphasising his desire to undergo a longitudinal study on his blood markers under 24-7 supervision.
“I don’t cheat or dope! The truth is on my side. This is all I can say,” Kipruto remarked in a statement released on Wednesday.
The 2019 world championship bronze medallist was charged by the AIU with “use of a prohibited substance/method” after inconsistencies were found in his biological passport between July 2018 and March 2022. He faces a four-year ban if found guilty.
Kipruto’s coach, Brother Colm O’Connell also jumped to his protege’s defence, noting that he (Kipruto) has consistently toiled to attain the heights he has scaled thus far.
“I carefully choose who I work with and to whom I dedicate my energy,” he said. “I know Rhonex is an honest young man and it hurts me to see him suffering now,” O’Connell said.
“Our strategy is to train hard and that’s the only way we achieve results. I have said many times that I am in favour of systematically combating doping so that we can protect clean athletes like Rhonex.”
AIU accused Kipruto of violating the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).
The fundamental principle of the ABP is to monitor selected biological variables over time that indirectly reveal the effects of doping, rather than attempting to detect the doping substance or method itself.
His suspension comes a day after another Kenyan Nicholas Kosimbei was suspended over the use of a prohibited substance.
Kipruto set the world record of 26:24 in Valencia three years ago.
He won a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
The 23-year-old is the 2018 World Under-20 10,000m champion.