A new Kenyan television programme that corroborates the findings from a 2012 German documentary alleging unethical doctors were providing banned drugs to athletes, has set off alarms at the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Some 36,000 athletes, including Kenyan and Ethiopian runners who are consistently ranked among the world's fastest, will run in the 118th Boston Marathon on Monday, putting the world-renown race back in the spotlight after it was marred by last year's bombing attack.
Russian steeplechaser Yulia Zaripova has been banned for two and a half years for doping offences, the Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA said (www.rusada.ru) on Friday.
The statement added that the suspension bars the athlete from "participating in any competition or activity in athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct".
Kenya, facing scrutiny from world anti-doping officials and criticism that it is not doing enough to tackle the problem, has banned seven more athletes for doping offences, raising the total number of Kenyan drug cases in the last three years to 40.
Jemima Sumgong, who last year became the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold in the marathon, has tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO in an out-of-competition test carried out by the IAAF, the sport's governing body said on Thursday.
Kenya reacted angrily on Tuesday to calls by the German Athletics Federation (DLV) that its athletes be barred from the Rio Olympic Games due to doping concerns.
Sports authorities across the world are scrambling to find out more about the mosquito-borne virus as they make plans for the games in August.
Kenya's top runners have urged athletics fans and sports enthusiasts across the world to keep faith in them, despite media allegations of widespread doping in the east African nation famed for its top-class runners.
Doping could cast a shadow over Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics unless the East African nation implements credible systems to root out drugs cheats, said veteran Kenya-based coach Brother Colm O'Connell.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
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