Nairobi — Kenyan athlete, Esther Birundu Borura, who was on Thursday slapped with a three-year ban for doping, turned down the opportunity for a second analysis of her urine sample because she had intentionally consumed the prohibited substance norandrosterone.
The athlete waived her rights to a B sample and admitted that she had indeed purchased the prohibited substance in April this year, subsequent to using the same a month later.
“On 15 September 2023, the athletes’ representative provided the AIU with the athlete’s summary explanation, which set out that the athlete admitted to having committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations. She had purchased prohibited substances in April 2023, and been injected in May 2023,” the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said in their final report.
A B sample grants an athlete, whose first urine sample (A) returns a positive result for a banned substance, the opportunity for a second analysis, which may return a negative finding.
Following her admission, AIU determined that the Kenyan was guilty of an anti-doping rule violation and was hence liable to the maximum punishment of a four-year ban.
Nonetheless, Borura’s honest and immediate admission of her offence – and the fact that it is the first time she has been found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation – earned her a reduced ban of three years.
” The athlete has failed to demonstrate that the Anti-Doping Rule Violations were not intentional. Therefore, the mandatory period of Ineligibility is a period of Ineligibility of four years,” AIU said.
Moreover, the athlete’s results since June 30 this year, have been nullified whereas she will have to forfeit all titles, awards, prize money, medals or appearance fees accrued during this period.
Borura caught the eye at this year’s Valencia Ibercaja 10km race in Spain where she clocked 30:15 to finish third, behind Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw (29:19) and fellow countrywoman, Jesca Chelangat (30:01).