The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended Norah Jeruto, the world 3,000m steeplechase champion in 2022, for the use of an undisclosed prohibited substance.
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The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended Norah Jeruto, the world 3,000m steeplechase champion in 2022, for the use of an undisclosed prohibited substance, according to the athlete’s biological passport (ABP) data. The AIU uses an athlete’s ABP data analysis for the objective of tracking specific biological parameters over time that could subtly suggest doping effects.
Jeruto’s ABP profile is alleged to have fluctuated, which could have been caused by the usage of performance-enhancing medications. The athlete, who won Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in July 2022, has been temporarily barred from competing until a final decision is reached at a hearing under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.
If Jeruto’s provisional suspension is upheld, she may be stripped of her World Championship 2022 gold medal. In the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Jeruto finished third fastest in history with a time of 8:53.02, trailing only her former countrywoman and current world record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech. Jeruto, who was born and grew in Kenya, changed allegiances to Kazakhstan with the hopes of making the team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It wasn’t until January 2022 that she was granted citizenship.
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The ABP system from the AIU is an essential instrument in the campaign against doping in sports. Using information from earlier samples to estimate each athlete’s performance range or limits for upcoming samples, the system develops unique longitudinal profiles for each athlete. Any test sample data that deviates from the athlete’s expected range may be a sign of doping. The Athletics Integrity Unit’s efforts in this area are a part of its larger goal to guarantee the integrity, fairness, and openness of athletic competition.
The ban of Norah Jeruto is the most recent in a string of high-profile instances involving athletes from all around the world. The AIU has demonstrated that it will not hesitate to penalize athletes who break anti-doping laws by taking a firm position against the practice. The AIU‘s commitment to clean sport is critical to ensure that athletes participate on a level playing field and that the sport’s integrity is preserved. In addition to winning the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the world championships, Jeruto also claimed the title in the Diamond League for 2021.
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Norah Jeruto competed for the first time on the international stage in the 2011 African Cross Country Championships, finishing sixth in the junior category. She then placed second at the Kenyan Athletics Championships. At the African Athletics Championships in 2016, Jeruto made her senior international debut. Norah Jeruto recorded an individual best time of 9:25.07 minutes and earned the steeplechase gold medal, establishing a championship record. On July 20, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon, she won the World Championships, making history as the first athlete from Kazakhstan to do so.
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