Kenyan long-distance runner Diana Chepkorir was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Wednesday for discrepancies in her Athlete Biological Passport.
Chepkorir becomes the fourth Kenyan athlete to be suspended within the last one month by AIU for a doping violation.
The others are Roncer Kipkorir Konga, the 2024 Kenyan 10,000m champion, who was banned for three years for the use of testosterone; Joyciline Chepngeno, banned for two years; and the 2023 Barcelona Half Marathon champion Charles Kipkurui Langat, who was handed a five-year ban.
Chepkorir, a Volare Sports Management athlete, has competed in four races this year. She last raced in the Boulder 10 kilometres in the US on May 26. Chepkorir started her athletics career with steeplechase in 2016.
The latest AIU sanctions come after the high-profile suspension of marathon world record holder, Ruth Chepng'etich, on July 17, for the use of a masking agent and former half-marathon world record holder, Kibiwott Kandie, in March for refusing to submit to a sample collection.
Between January 2 and July 31, this year, the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya suspended 34 athletes, while the AIU banned 12 Kenyan athletes.
