25 March 2022

The SII Anti-Doping Monitor – week ending 25 March 2022

Ten athletes from eight countries, competing in seven sports, were involved in anti-doping proceedings that progressed this week. Headlines focussed on Yelena Lashmanova, coached by the infamous Viktor Chegin, who lost Gold medals won in the 20km race walk at the London 2012 Olympics and the Moscow 2013 World Championships. It is understood that historic doping offences were uncovered via analysis of data retrieved from the Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

A background picture from the race walking school previously run by Viktor Chegin features three athletes sanctioned for doping. Its Director is one of them (click to open)…

The Sports School of Olympic Reserve (СШОР) in Saransk formerly took Chegin’s name, in honour of its former Head Coach. It has since been renamed, but it appears that old habits die hard. Its internet site features a background picture of Lashmanova, Anisya Kirdyapkina, and Olga Kaniskina. The three race walkers, along with around 20 other race walkers coached by Chegin, have been sanctioned for doping offences. The СШОР is now managed by Kaniskina.

Other cases were equally intriguing. The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) announced that Shieys Chepkosgei is facing criminal charges for forging a hospital post-natal discharge document in order to avoid a charge of competing whilst banned. ‘He/she alleged that he/she had been admitted to the said facility where he/she gave birth to a baby boy through a caesarean section and had not recovered and thus could not have travelled to participate in the sporting event’, reads an ADAK statement.

ADAK discovered that the document and a birth certificate had been forged. This is perhaps unsurprising, as Chepkosgei was born a man. This is why the ADAK statement refers to Chepkosgei as ‘he/she’, and uses her former name, Hillary Kiprotich. 

Her World Athletics profile reveals that she competed as a woman for a number of years, until she was sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) in 2017. It is understood that she competed in 2019, prior to the expiration of her four year ban on 26 December 2020. ADAK has yet to announce when her new ban will expire. 

Another athlete that lost a Gold medal this week is Nijat Rahimov. The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) dismissed a challenge by the Kazakh weightlifter that he had been involved in four instances of urine substitution, and sanctioned him with an eight year ban for a second doping offence. He will lose a Gold medal won in the 77kg category at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and will be ineligible to compete until 19 January 2029. 

Marion Sicot…

Marion Sicot and the French anti-doping agency (AFLD) confirmed via email that the Conseil d’Etat has accepted the AFLD’s appeal to double her two year ban. The AFLD initially issued a reduced two year ban to the cyclist, after she alleged that she injected Erythropoietin (EPO) to regain the confidence of team manager Marc Bracke, who she claims sidelined her after she stopped sending him pictures of her in her underwear. 

The international cycling union (UCI) upheld allegations of harassment against Bracke, however he has since appealed a three year ban it imposed for sexual harassment, and filed a defamation claim with the French Courts. This case continues.

Major arrests were also reported in French horseracing this week, however this has yet to be confirmed by France Galop or French law enforcement authorities. Police arrested 26 horse trainers following a Europe-wide investigation into horse doping, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). It is understood that prohibited substances were seized.

Please continue to send any cases we may have missed or suggestions through to our editor by clicking here. Also, if you’re an athlete, national anti-doping organisation (NADO) or other Results Management Authority and you’d like us to cover a case that you’re involved with, please get in touch! Also – a reminder. The SII Anti-Doping Monitor only features confirmed AAFs (‘positive tests’) or confirmed anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).

Decision links

Yelena Lashmanova (AIU Statement, Tweet, and RUSADA statement);

Omotola Eniola Falodun;

Brian Abers;

Shieys Chepkosgei / Hillary Kiprotich (ADAK Statement; 2017 ADAK Statement);

Nijat Rahimov (CAS ADD Statement, ITA Statement); 

Nicolas Battistella;

Umberto Eusepi;

Zubayr Hamza;

Alessandro Braconi.

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