NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 12 – Kenya’s two-time Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata has been handed a 19-month ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit after admitting to the use of a prohibited drug, Furosemide.
He is among two Kenyans who have been handed bans by the AIU, with Edward Kiprop Kibet banned for three years for the use of Nandrolone.
According to the Lonyangata provided an out of competition sample on September 21 which resulted in an Adverse Analytical Finding for Furosemide. He was duly informed of the result on October 19.
Having been notified, Lonyangata who won the Paris Marathon in 2017 and 2018 and finished third in 2019 then forwarded a response to the AIU a week later, admitting to the use of the prohibited substance.
According to Wikipedia, Furosemide belongs to a group of medicines called loop diuretics (also known as water pills). Furosemide is given to help treat fluid retention (edema) and swelling that is caused by congestive heart failure, liver disease, kidney disease, or other medical conditions.
However, Furosemide is included in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances because it can be used by athletes to mask the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in urine and/or excrete water for rapid weight loss.
“Taking into consideration that the Athlete promptly admitted the ADRVs upon notification, the period of Ineligibility commences on the date of admission on 26 October 2021 and shall be in effect until, and including, 25 May 2023,” a statement from the AIU stated.
It added; “In accordance with Rule 10.10 of the ADR, the Athlete’s competitive results from 24 September 2021 are disqualified with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prize money/prizes.”
Lonyangata shone into the limelight in 2017 when he won his first Paris Marathon title. What was historic about that conquest was that it was husband and wife who won both the men and women’s crowns.
While Lonyangata clinched the men’s diadem, his wife Purity Rionoripo clinched the women’s crown.
