The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has handed Kenyan runner Kibiwott Kandie a lengthy ban for doping violation.
After breaking the half marathon world record in Valencia in 2020, Kenya Defence Forces runner Kandie was destined for greatness.
Kandie, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres bronze medallist and 2023 national 10,000m champion, was touted as the successor to legendary runner Paul Tergat owing to a striking resemblance in the running styles of the two athletes.
However, Kandie will not live to emulate Kenya’s legendary distance runner Tergat’s unrivalled achievements on track, cross-country and in road races after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) banned him for seven years on June 25, 2026 “for Refusal to Submit to Sample Collection, and Tampering.”
Kandie’s ban has been backdated to March 14, 2025.
On Thursday, the AIU said in a statement that it arrived at the verdict after Kandie, who had been provisionally suspended in March 2025, admitted to two Anti-Doping Rule Violations – a refusal to submit to sample collection, and tampering with the doping control process.
The three-time Valencia Half Marathon champion (2020, 2022 and 2023) could have landed a lengthier ban of eight years – four years for breaching ADR code 2.3 and another four years for Tampering – but received a one-year reduction for early admission and acceptance of the sanction.
Kandie, who set a new half marathon world record of 57:32 minutes in 2020 in Valencia, remains the third fastest half marathon performer ever behind only Jacob Kiplimo and Yomif Kejelcha.
AIU has revealed that Kandie provided falsified documents in his initial explanations for his refusal to provide a sample.
“His explanation was exposed as being false after we carried out a forensic analysis of his phone and financial records, while also coordinating with Kenyan authorities to confirm that documents submitted by the athlete from Kenya were fake,” AIU said in a statement on Thursday.
After being provisionally suspended on March 14, 2025 for his refusal to submit to a doping test, Kandie was further charged by the AIU with tampering on May 6, 2026.
“This case (Kandie’s) serves as a reminder that no athlete is above the rules in the sport of athletics. The AIU has a strong forensic capability and will thoroughly investigate such cases to ensure the truth comes out in the end,” said Head of the AIU, Brett Clothier.
AIU has been ruthless with Kenyan athletes who have been flagged for doping but opted to challenge the positive tests or providing falsified documents like Kandie.
The heavy sanctions range from 5 to 10 years, which is outside the official sanction period of between two years to four years.
The 2019 Africa Games Half Marathon champion Titus Ekiru, who was banned in 2023 for 10 years, is the Kenyan athlete serving the longest ban. The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics Marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong has been serving an eight-year ban from 2019.
Kenyan runner Sarah Chepchirchir, who was banned for four years from 2019 to 2023, was again handed eight years in 2023 for using banned Testosterone alongside James Mwangi Wangari and Michael Njenga Kunyuga who also got eight years each in 2022.
Also banned in 2019 for eight years was distance runner Salome Jerono Biwott. Middle distance runner Eglay Nalianya’s eight-year ban came in 2023.
The 2019 Chicago and Boston Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono, 2024 Seville Marathon champion Josephine Chepkoech and Salina Jebet are serving seven-year suspensions each.
The 2019 world 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto, 2025 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon winner Ronald Kimeli Kurgat, distance runner Emmaculate Anyango, former national cross country champion Rodgers Kwemoi and Purity Temutai Komen have been hand six-year bans each.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld Rhonex Kipruto’s appeal, reducing his doping ban from six years to five. While the court recognised that he had committed an anti-doping violation related to blood manipulation, the reduction means his suspension will now run until May 2028 rather than until 2029.
