The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics has sanctioned three athletes with bans for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), and has provisionally suspended two after positive tests. Distance runner Sammy Kitwara has been sanctioned with a 16 month ban after returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for terbutaline at the Seoul Marathon on 17 March. The full Decision reveals that the AIU accepted the Kenyan’s evidence that medicine prescribed to treat pneumonia contained the prohibited substance.

Hassan Laqouahi was sanctioned with a four year ban after a 13 October urine sample given at the Sofia Marathon returned an AAF for erythropoietin (EPO). The full Decision reveals that after the Moroccan failed to explain the AAF, the AIU wrote to him on 18 December to explain that he was considered to have admitted the ADRV.

Philip Sanga Kimutai was sanctioned with a four year ban after returning an AAF for exogenous (external) testosterone at the Liupanshui Marathon on 29 July. The full Decision reveals that following his provisional suspension in October, the Kenyan was unable to explain his AAF and on 11 December, the AIU wrote to him to explain that this constituted admittance of the ADRV.

In addition, the AIU also announced that it had provisionally suspended Peter Kwemoi, a member of the Kenyan team that won gold at the 2010 World Half Marathon Championships, after he returned an AAF for EPO. The AIU also provisionally suspended Lebogang Shange, after the South African race walker returned an AAF for trenbolone.