Kenyan runners Kimetto and Kiplimo fail drug tests

Two Kenyan runners, Viola Chelangat Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo, have failed drug tests and been banned for two years, Athletics Kenya has said.

Both women tested positive for norandrosterone, a metabolite of nandrolone.

Kimetto failed her test at the Macau marathon in December 2013; Kiplimo failed a test taken after the Yangzhou half-marathon in April.

Neither runner has commented on the test results.

Athletics Kenya said it was also investigating five other athletes.

It said they had been told to report to its office by Thursday over "particular issues revolving around doping cases" raised by the organisation's anti-doping unit.

Kimetto and Kiplimo are the latest in about 40 Kenyan athletes to fail doping tests in the past two years.

Shortcut to wealth?

Olympic champion David Rudisha said last week his country was not doing enough to tackle doping among runners.

His warning came almost two years after Moses Kiptanui, one of the most successful runners in Kenya's history, alleged doping was rife among athletes there.

The three-times 3,000m steeplechase world champion and coach alleged many athletes have been using performance-enhancing drugs as a shortcut to wealth.

Two months ago, Rita Jeptoo, winner of the Boston and Chicago marathons for the past two years, became one of the highest profile Kenyans to fail a test.

She was suspended from competition pending testing of a B sample due to take place later this week.

Source: BBCnews