Esther Borura handed three year ban by AIU

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Friday 24 November handed youngster Esther Birundu Borura a three-year ban for using performance-enhancing substances.

Borura was found guilty of using a prohibited substance (19-norandrosterone) and nandrolone or nandrolone precursors. Her ban dates back to September 6, 2023, and will be active until 2026.

The 23-year-old joins the endless list of athletes who have been found guilty of using the banned substances.

The youngster provided a urine sample on June 30, 2023, during an out-of-competition in Iten which tested positive for the banned substances.

Her sample was then tested at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Qatar, where they reported an adverse analytical finding.

AIU provisionally suspends four Kenyan marathoners

The AIU then notified the athlete of their findings, in addition to what awaited, including the disqualification of all her results since June 30.

The 23-year-old then responded through her representative on September 15, admitting to having committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations. According to her representative, she purchased the prohibited substances in April 2023 before being injected in May of the same year. She further confessed that it was her first time using the substances.

The AIU then informed the Athlete that she had until 17 November 2023 and not later than 23 November 2023 to sign and return an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Acceptance of Consequences Form to benefit from an automatic one-year reduction in the four-year period of ineligibility.

She signed the form to benefit from a one-year reduction.

Junior category introduced in Iten Cross Country championship

The Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) Cross country bronze medalist is expected to return to action in 2026.

The act saw all her results since June 30 disqualified.

Other athletes that have suffered a similar fate this year include James Gikunga Karanja, who was been suspended for the Presence/Use of Norandrosterone, Istanbul Half Marathon Purity Temutai Komen, whose case backdates to July, suffered suspension for two offenses; the presence of Norandrosterone, and evading sample collection.

Marathoner Rebecca Jepchirchir Korir was also provisionally suspended for the Presence of Methylprednisolone.