Earlier this year, she made headlines when she recorded the second-fastest 10km time in history, clocking 28:57 in Valencia, Spain
Kenya’s rising long distance athlete, Emmaculate Anyango, has been handed a six year ban for multiple doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), dealing a serious blow to her promising career.
The AIU issued the ruling on Friday, November 22nd, 2024, confirming the provisional suspension it had imposed on her in October, following the detection of prohibited substances in her system. Anyango, 24, was found guilty of using testosterone and erythropoietin (EPO) in four separate occasions between February and June of 2024.
The AIU’s investigation revealed that in her first three urine samples, Anyango tested positive for metabolites of banned substances, while the fourth round of tests—both urine and blood samples—showed traces of EPO. Despite defending herself by claiming she was unaware of how these substances entered her body, She failed to provide sufficient evidence to support her claim. She argued that after falling ill, she visited various hospitals in Eldoret and received injections but could not explain what was administered.
The AIU considered her defense but ruled that she had not proven any deliberate absence of fault. Moreover, her failure to accept responsibility during a designated period for potential reduction of her ban only worsened the situation, leading to the full six year ban. The first four years of the ban are mandatory due to the violation of anti-doping rules, with an additional two years for using multiple banned substances.
This suspension comes at a particularly tough time for Anyango, who had been showing great promise in the athletics world. Earlier this year, she made headlines when she recorded the second-fastest 10km time in history, clocking 28:57 in Valencia, Spain—only narrowly losing to compatriot Agnes Ngetich, who won the race with a time of 28:46. Anyango's stunning performance earned her the Sports Personality of the Month award from the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) in February.
With her ban set to expire in 2030, Anyango’s future in the sport is uncertain. By that time, she will be 30 years old, potentially past her athletic prime.