NAIROBI — The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) have detailed the dramatic circumstances that culminated in a hefty seven-year ban for former world report holder for the boys’s half marathon, Kibiwott Kandie.
Kandie was discovered responsible of refusing and evading to supply his samples for an anti-doping take a look at along with tampering with proof of anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).
The genesis of this longwinding drama goes again to March 1 final 12 months when a doping management personnel (DCP) and a chaperone visited the athlete’s residence in Eldama Ravine for an out-of-competition impromptu testing.
In keeping with AIU, Kandie refused to supply his urine pattern — though he supplied to supply a blood pattern — arguing that he needed to go away instantly for Eldoret.
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The athlete knowledgeable the 2 officers that officers from the Nationwide Development Authority (NCA) had been on the web site of a constructing he was placing up in Eldoret, and had threatened to cease building works until he offered some important documentation.
Regardless of pleas from the DCP — in addition to Kandie’s spouse — the 2020 Valencia Half Marathon champion obtained into his automotive and sped off for Eldoret, thereby committing ADRV by refusing to supply the pattern.
“At or round 13:12, the Athlete obtained into his automotive and, with out additional interplay with the DCO or
Chaperone, drove away from the Eldama Ravine Deal with. Earlier than the DCO and Chaperone left the Athlete’s property, the Athlete’s spouse knowledgeable them that she had tried to persuade the Athlete to be examined however he had refused. She additionally confirmed that she was conscious that this would possibly consequence within the Athlete being banned. The DCO and Chaperone then left the Athlete’s property of their automotive,” the report reads.
Moreover, AIU found {that a} certificates of software that Kandie offered in his defence — purpotedly from NEMA — was not real.
His case was additionally not helped by the truth that NEMA denied ever conducting a web site inspection on the stated date cited by Kandie, along with not having any information of the athlete as a constructing proprietor.
“On 26 March 2026, the AIU acquired, through ADAK, a letter from the NEMA concerning the Certificates
of Utility submitted by the Athlete, which confirmed the next: the applying reference quantity offered on the Certificates of Utility doesn’t exist inside the NEMA information; the Athlete’s identify shouldn’t be recognised inside the NEMA information; and NEMA maintain no report of any web site inspection on the location said on the Certificates of Utility (the Eldoret Development Website),” AIU revealed.
A scrutiny of Kandie’s cellphone additional unearthed quite a few suspicious calls on the day when the DCO and chaperone visited his residence.
The calls had been to a registered nurse, to who he had additionally despatched a complete of Ksh 18, 2000 between July 2024 to March 2025.
“That evaluation revealed that, in the course of the take a look at try on 1 March 2025, the Athlete had made
repeated makes an attempt to name a quantity linked to a registered nurse. On 7 August 2025, ADAK offered the AIU with the Athlete’s M-PESA information for the interval July 2024 to March 2025. These information demonstrated that the Athlete made 11 separate transfers of various quantities (between KSh200 to KSh4000) to the Nurse in that interval totalling KSh18,200 (circa €120.00),” the report information.
Following overwhelming proof, the 2020 World Half Marathon silver medalist admitted the offence, which led to a discount in his ban from the unique eight to seven years.
His ban is one other slap to the face of an athlete who was as soon as a promising prospect for Kenya within the lengthy distances, significantly within the males’s 10,000m in addition to the highway races.