In a stunning development, Kenyan long-distance sensation Agnes Jeruto Barsosio, the reigning champion of the 2022 Nairobi City Marathon, finds herself on the wrong side of the law as the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) imposes a five-year ban.
The suspension comes in the wake of discrepancies detected in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) after a series of blood tests spanning nearly a decade.Initially facing a six-year suspension, with four years for the ABP violation and an additional two years for the presence of a banned substance, Barsosio was granted a one-year reduction following her admission of guilt.
As a result of the ban, all her achievements from May 9, 2022, including her Nairobi City Marathon triumph, have been nullified, and she is slated to forfeit the substantial Sh6 million prize money she once held.This grim episode could potentially bring her illustrious career to an abrupt halt.
At 41, Barsosio will be 46 by the time her suspension concludes. The AIU thoroughly analyzed 12 blood samples obtained from the athlete between July 10, 2013, and November 30, 2022.The AIU released a statement detailing the findings: “The Passport generated an Atypical Passport Finding in the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS), which was submitted by the Athlete Passport Management Unit (APMU) for a two-step review on an anonymous basis, first by a single Expert and then for a further review by three Experts (an Expert Panel).”
The statement continued, “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 AIU’s Expert Panel unanimously concluded “Likely Doping” in the Athlete’s case in a Joint Expert Panel Opinion dated 23 April 2023 (the “First Joint Opinion”). Barsosio was promptly informed of the findings, leading her to return an admission form acknowledging the Anti-Doping charges against her.
As a result, she chose not to compete in the defense of her Nairobi City Marathon title.In her initial defense, Barsosio attributed the inconsistencies in her passport to factors such as altitude changes (within Kenya), irregular menstruation, erratic training schedules, and dietary variations, specifically with regard to iron-rich foods.
However, after a comprehensive review, the independent AIU panel cast doubt on these explanations and leaned towards the likelihood of doping by the athlete. They suggested that the anomalies in the Passport could be attributed to the use of a prohibited substance or method, possibly blood doping.
The AIU stated, “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.”
As Agnes Barsosio faces this severe setback in her career, the world of athletics watches with bated breath to see if she can make a comeback after serving her suspension or if this marks the end of a once-promising journey.
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