Kenya’s 41-year-old long-distance runner Agnes Jeruto Barsosio has been handed a five-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after being found guilty for the use of a Prohibited Substance/Method via the World Athletics Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) programme.
According to the findings released, Barsosio’s ABP showed abnormalities in the blood samples collected between 2012 and 2023 as features of blood manipulation while preparing for competitions held around 2022 led to the AIU’s Expert Panel making the unanimous opinion of ‘likely doping’ following the Atypical Passport Finding.
“Following the review of the Passport in accordance with Articles C.3 and C.4 of the ISRM, the Expert Panel identified abnormalities in the blood samples as features of blood manipulation in preparation for competition, in particular, variations in blood samples collected in May 2022 (shortly following the Athlete’s participation in a marathon in Nairobi, Kenya), August 2022, and late October and early November 2022 (within two weeks of a planned marathon competition).
The Expert Panel confirmed their unanimous opinion of “Likely Doping” in the Athlete’s case in a Joint Expert Panel Opinion dated 23 April 2023 (the “First Joint Opinion”),” the statement from the AIU read.
Following review of the ABP Documentation Package and the First Joint Opinion, the AIU notified the Athlete of the Adverse Passport Finding and invited the Athlete to provide a detailed written explanation for the Adverse Passport Finding by no later than 26 May 2023.
In her defence, Barsosio claimed that altitude changes (within Kenya), irregular menstruation, irregular training and irregular diet (specifically in relation to iron-rich foods) were the reasons behind the ABP abnormalities, explanations that were rejected as AIU reasserted its unanimous opinion of “Likely doping” that it had set out in the First Joint Opinion.
“All members of the Expert Panel remained of the opinion that the probability that the Passport was the result of the use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method (blood doping) outweighed the probability that the Passport was the result of a normal physiological or pathological state (including those asserted by the Athlete),” AIU said.
On 10 August 2023, the AIU issued the Athlete with a Notice of Charge confirming that she was being charged with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and that the Consequences included (i) a period of Ineligibility of six (6) years and (ii) disqualification of her results on and since 9 May 2022.
On 20 August 2023, the Athlete returned a signed Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form confirming that (i) she admitted the Anti-Doping Rule Violation and accepted the asserted period of Ineligibility and (ii) waived any further rights she had to contest, challenge, or dispute the Anti-Doping Rule Violation and/or the applicable Consequences.
Following the admission, the athlete received a one-year reduction applied in the period of ineligibility.
“The AIU considered that the Passport provided evidence of the Athlete’s Use of a Prohibited Substance (an erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) such as recombinant erythropoietin (EPO)) or a Prohibited Method on multiple occasions, and that Aggravating Circumstances were therefore present that justified an increase in the otherwise applicable period of Ineligibility of four (4) years, by an additional period of two (2) years based on the seriousness of the violation and the nature of the Aggravating Circumstances.
The period of Ineligibility to be imposed is therefore a period of six (6) years. The Athlete shall therefore receive a one (1) year reduction in the asserted period of Ineligibility pursuant to Rule 10.8.1 based on an early admission and acceptance of sanction,” the verdict ruled.
