Emmaculate Anyango: I fainted and was injected with EPO

When the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) took the urine sample for the in-competition test of Emmaculate Anyango Achol at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country championships in February 3, 2024 and sent it to the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) where Advance Analytical Findings were seen, the second fastest woman in the world over the 10km distance said that she had a medical condition for which she had been taken to hospital to be treated.

This came out after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) yesterday (22), slapped a six year doping ban to Anyango for the Presence/Use of a prohibited substance (testosterone and EPO), which is a violation of the World Anti-doping Agency.

The 24 year-old gave out four samples with the first three revealing presence of 5adiol and 5bAdiol while the fourth sample which was of urine and blood revealed the presence of erythropoietin (EPO).

On September 27, 2024 during an interview by video conference, Anyango claimed that she had fainted and did not know what she had been injected with during the treatment at the four hospitals (Iten Mission Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, Eldoret Hospital and Chembulet Hospital), insisting that she did not deliberately take or inject any prohibited substances.

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The AIU reviewed the documents she presented before them, Photos, receipts, X-rays scans but they were never moved as they stack on the decision that she had committed an Anti-doping rule violations as set out in the rules.

On November 7, 2024 the AIU sent Anyango the final reminder of signing the Admission form so that she could benefit from the automatic one year reduction in the period of ineligibility but she returned to them several emails saying that she had nothing to say and told AIU ‘to see what to do me’.

The AIU after their findings of aggravating circumstances slapped Anyango with the mandatory ineligibility period of four years and two more years for use of multiple prohibited substance.

The six year ban commences on September 26, 2024 and her results since February 3, 2024 disqualified and forfeiture of any medals, titles, awards points, prizes and appearance money.