The athlete’s ban became effective from the date he was banned which was on August 1, 2022.
In a statement, the Athletics Integrity Unit said the 36-year-old tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug known as norandrosterone.
Through its statement, Athletics Integrity further stated that the athlete was found guilty of tampering with the anti-doping process. Norandrosterone is a banned substance in sports.
It’s a synthetic hormone that enhances muscle growth, strength, and endurance, giving athletes an unfair advantage in competitions.
“The athlete has failed to demonstrate that the anti-doping rule violations were not intentional,” the AIU said in announcing the eight-year ban.
While issuing the ban, the body further stated that Kunyuga had handed in false medical information to defend himself about a positive drug test after he emerged second in a marathon held in Riga, Latvia, last year. Kunyuga becomes the third Kenyan athlete to be banned from international competitions in two months.
On October 16, Athletics Integrity also banned Titus Ekiru for 10 years over doping allegations. According to AIU, the elite athlete colluded with a doctor at a Kenyan hospital to forge medical documents, in a bid to mislead the anti-doping body.
A few days later on October 20, the body suspended long-distance Kenyan runner Daisy Cherotich after providing a urine sample that tested positive for erythropoietin, a medical stimulant and oxygen boost.
“On March 1, 2023, the AIU exceptionally granted the Athlete an extension until March 6, 2023, to provide her reply to the Notice of Allegation,” AIU stated.
“She was reminded inter alia that in the absence of a response by March 6, 2023, she would be deemed to have waived her right to the Sample analysis and to have accepted the Adverse Analytical Finding.”
