June 25 (Reuters) – Former half-marathon world-record holder Kibiwott Kandie has been banned for seven years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for two anti-doping violations, the body said on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Kenyan, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, was provisionally suspended in March 2025 for refusing to provide a sample and was later charged with an additional violation of tampering or attempted tampering with doping control.
“This case serves as a reminder that no athlete is above the rules in the sport of athletics. If an athlete refuses a test, it places the integrity of the sport at risk,” AIU head Brett Clothier said in a statement.
“The AIU has a strong forensic capability and will thoroughly investigate such cases to ensure the truth comes out,” he added.
• Kandie, who initially faced an eight-year ban split evenly across the two violations, received a one-year reduction after accepting the sanctions early.
• His ban is backdated to March 14 2025, the date of his provisional suspension, and will run until March 13, 2032, when he will be 36.
• On March 1 2025, Kandie delayed and ultimately refused an out-of-competition test at his home in Kenya, citing an urgent payment before leaving despite being warned of the consequences.
• AIU analysis of his phone and financial records showed multiple calls and payments linked to a nurse, with 11 transfers identified in the 12 months prior to the test after coordination with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya.
• Kandie’s initial explanations for refusing to provide a sample were later found to be false, while Kenyan authorities confirmed that documents he submitted were fake.
• Kandie, a three-time Valencia Half Marathon champion, set a then world record of 57:32 in 2020 and remains the third-fastest man in history over the distance, with two of the six quickest performances of all time.
(Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
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