Otieno officialy given leeway to resume competition

It is now official that Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno can return to competition on the track.

Athletics Kenya- the governing body for the sport of athletics (track and field) in Kenya - in a letter on 1 August 2023 addressed to Otieno confirmed that that athlete is cleared to race after serving his ban: 'Following your anti-doping violation, you are now eligible to return to competition and other activities in athletics," read the letter in part.

The announcement in itself was timely, as Otieno's period of ineligibility, thanks to a positive doping test, came to an end on 31 July 2023, having been backdated to 31 July 2021.

Otieno, one of Kenya's most promising sprinters, was banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for two years for breaching anti-doping rules after he was found to have tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid methasterone on the eve of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Otieno was initially suspended from the 100m heats in the Olympics event, with AIU seeking a four-year ban that was reduced to two years after an adjudicating panel on 7 December 2022 upheld the decision that the steroids found in the athlete's samples originated from contaminated supplements manufactured from Mega Sports Inc.

"In less than 12 hours, I will be eligible to compete again," Otieno posted on Twitter on Monday, hours before his ineligibility period elapsed. "Mine is a story of God's faithfulness and mercies."

With Athletics Kenya wishing him a successful return, they made it clear for him to 'promote integrity in the fight against doping.'

Before his ban, Otieno had represented the country at the 2017, 2019, and 2021 World Athletics Relays.

He was also part of the Kenyan team at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the 2017 World Championships in London. The 30-year-old was also part of Team Kenya at the 2015 All-Africa Games and the 2016 and 2019 African Championships.

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