Purity Komen retires after being slapped with six-year ban by Athletics Integrity Unit

ATHLETICS Purity Komen retires after being slapped with six-year ban by Athletics Integrity Unit

Abigael Wafula 14:02 - 08.03.2024

Purity Komen, 25, has decided to retire after the Athletics Integrity Unit slapped her with a six-year ban for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance (Norandrosterone), Evading Sample Collection.

After finding herself on the wrong side of the Athletics Integrity Unit, Purity Komen thought it would be wise to quit the sport and avoid the punishment but the AIU still gave a dose of her own medicine.

Komen who beat Ruth Chepng’etich during the 2023 Istanbul Half Marathon was slapped with a six-year ban by the AIU after a series of violations. Komen’s ban began on July 6, 2023 and she was punished for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance (Norandrosterone), Evading Sample Collection.

Norandrosterone is a Prohibited Substance under the WADA 2022 Prohibited List under the category S1.1 Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. It is a NonSpecified Substance prohibited at all times.

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On May 12, 2023, A Doping Control Officer ( DCO) and a Blood Collection Officer arrived in Iten to test Komen out-of-competition but she was nowhere to be found.

After communicating with the two personnel and giving them wrong directions, Komen switched off her phone and the officers could not trace. She later reached out to the AIU saying: “Thank you I got the email. I read everything and I understood all the information.

“I would like to request for more 14 days, since I had prolonged back injury I seek medication from different hospitals. Thus, I need to provide accurate information about my medication thank you.”

On July 13 last year, the AIU granted the Athlete an extension until July 24 to provide her explanation for the Adverse Analytical Finding. However, Komen failed to submit any explanation for the Adverse Analytical Finding by the extended deadline (or at all).

On November 13, the AIU wrote to Komen and granted her an extension until no later than November 20 to provide an explanation for the Adverse Analytical Finding and the potential violation of Rule 2.3 ADR.

On the same day, Komen wrote to the AIU via WhatsApp saying: “Thank you for your information, I accept I did a mistake unknowingly but am sorry, am no longer interested in running career.”

After that, Komen failed to respond or to return the admission of anti-doping rule violations and acceptance of consequences form signed by February 28, 2024.

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