Sprinter Mark Otieno has provisionaly been suspended from competing in today’s 100m preliminary after failing a doping test at the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Kenyan sprinter was set to compete alongside national champion Ferdinand Omanyala Omuria. Otieno finished second behind Omanyala during national trials was to run at 1.45pm EAT.
Kenya’s Chief de Mission Waithaka Kioni confirmed that Otieno had received communication from International Testing Agency (ITA) regarding the sprinter who has had an Adverse analytical finding on a urine sample he provided on 28 July 2021.
“He remains provisionally suspended from participating in his event today. The sprinter is fully aware of this communication and is in receipt of the letter from ITA. He has however denied any knowledge of the violation and has subsequently requested a re-analysis of his B urine sample,” Kioni.
“Our understanding is that this athlete is treated as innocent until we receive the results of his Sample B urine analysis. NOC Kenya and the Management of Team Kenya does not condone doping and will continue to partner with Adak in the continuous provision of anti-doping education to all our athletes.”
Kenya is in Category “A” of the World Athletics and World Anti-Doping Agency watch list therefore all athletes who expect to participate in major world athletics championships must go through three out-of-competition tests within 10 months before the events.
The tests must be done three weeks apart within the 10 months’ period and three weeks to the championships, including one mandatory blood test.