Kenyan runner who won London Marathon in 2017 is punished for biological passport violation

Daniel Wanjiru joins the list of high-profile Kenyan runners who have received an anti-doping ban recently.

The 28-year-old, who won the London Marathon three years ago, has been given a four-year ban due to biological passport irregularities – a ban which has been backdated to the day of his original suspension on December 9 last year.

This means he will be banned until December 2023, while his results since March 9 last year, which include 11th place in the 2019 London Marathon, have also been disqualified.

The @WorldAthletics Disciplinary Tribunal has banned long-distance runner Daniel Wanjiru of Kenya for four years with effect from 09 Dec 2019, for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation. He has been suspended since 14 April 2020.
?️➡️https://t.co/cBkQOqSHT4#AIUNews pic.twitter.com/9p85q2G7yU

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) October 14, 2020

The 27-year-old, who beat Kenenisa Bekele to the 2017 London Marathon title, has a marathon PB of 2:05:21, set when winning the Amsterdam Marathon in 2016.

On his biological passport irregularities, a panel said: “That anomaly is far beyond any physiological possible adjustment and by itself carries a very high risk of thrombotic complications, coronary thrombosis and sudden death.”

You can read the full details of the case via the Athletics Integrity Unit here.

“I feel I am already seen as a sinner of doping, but I am not,” Wanjiru said when he heard of his provisional suspension. “I am innocent.”

Other top Kenyan runners currently serving bans include marathoners Jemima Sumgong and Wilson Kipsang plus miler Asbel Kiprop.