Marathoner Karanja joins wave of Kenyan athletes banned by AIU for doping

Kenya’s doping menace continues to rear its ugly head as the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has added yet another Kenyan name to its long list of offenders, Charles Kamau Karanja.

The marathoner was provisionally suspended in July last year for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Testosterone) but has now been slapped with a four-year ban.

The 24-year-old was nabbed on May 21, 2023, in an In-Competition urine Sample last year at the Seiko Osaka Marathon where he finished in sixth place in a time of 2:06.37.

Karanja’s ban will commence from the date of this decision and the period of Provisional Suspension served by the Athlete, from 4 July 2023 until the date of the ban will be credited against the total period of ineligibility.

All of the athlete’s results obtained at the 2023 Seiko Golden Grand Prix and since 21 May 2023 are to be disqualified.

Karanja, having been informed, on 4 July 2023, of his suspension was invited to provide a full and detailed written explanation for the offense and a decision on whether he wished to request the analysis of the B Sample at his cost.

On 20 July 2023, the Athlete sent an email to the AIU whereby he informed them that he “had not been able to raise the amount of money required for B Sample” analysis, adding that he had “only used supplement [sic]”.

A request to provide additional information concerning the medication(s) and supplement(s) he had used before the doping control test on 21 May 2023, including photos of the packaging of each supplement or medication, confirmation of where they were purchased, and the dosage and prescription was made.

According to the athlete, he took “extra survival” (5 tablets a day for 7 days, from 15 May to 20 May 2023, and 10 tablets, on 21 May 2023), “extra oxyup” (4 tablets every morning for 7 days before the race, from 14 May to 20 May 2023, and 8 tablets, on 21 May 2023), “iron supplements” (1 tablet each day prior to the race), “MVP” (1 sachet, from 14 May to 21 May 2023), “testo” (2 tablets a day, from 13 May to 18 May 2023, and 8 tablets, from 19 May to 21 May 2023), “energizer” (1 tablet a day, from 14 May to 20 May 2023, and 4 tablets, on 21 May 2023) and “magnesium” (1 tablet a day, from 14 May to 20 May 2023, and 2 tablets, on 21 May 2023).

During the hearing, answering a question posed by the Athlete, the AIU clarified that none of the ingredients of the supplements that he declared to have taken contained Testosterone.

In addition, the AIU submitted that it was the responsibility of the Athlete to have tested the contents of the supplements.

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