Kibiwott Kandie banned seven years over doping violations
The former half-marathon world record holder accepted sanctions after refusing a test and facing a tampering charge, the AIU said.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Kenyan distance runner Kibiwott Kandie has been barred from competition for seven years over two anti-doping rule violations, the Athletics Integrity Unit said. The sanction removes a former half-marathon world record holder from the sport until 2032.
The AIU said Kandie, 30, was first provisionally suspended in March 2025 after refusing to provide a sample. The body later brought a second charge against him for tampering or attempted tampering with doping control.
Kandie had initially faced an eight-year suspension, with four years attached to each violation, according to the AIU account reported by Reuters. The final penalty was reduced by one year because he accepted the sanctions early.
The ban has been backdated to March 14, 2025, the date his provisional suspension began. It is due to expire on March 13, 2032, when Kandie will be 36.
AIU details refused test
According to the AIU, the case began on March 1, 2025, during an out-of-competition test at Kandie’s home in Kenya. The unit said Kandie delayed the process and then refused to give a sample, telling officials he had to make an urgent payment before leaving.
The AIU said he departed despite being warned about the consequences of refusing a test. Brett Clothier, the head of the AIU, said in a statement Thursday that the case showed athletes remained subject to testing rules and that refusal put the sport’s integrity at risk.
Clothier also said the AIU had forensic capacity to investigate such matters and would pursue cases to establish what happened.
The AIU said it examined Kandie’s phone and financial records and found several calls and payments connected to a nurse. Working with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, investigators identified 11 transfers in the 12 months before the attempted test, according to the AIU.
The AIU said Kandie’s first explanations for not providing a sample were later determined to be false. Kenyan authorities also confirmed that documents he submitted were fake, according to the unit.
Career record
Kandie won bronze for Kenya at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. He is also a three-time winner of the Valencia Half Marathon.
In 2020, Kandie set a then-world record of 57 minutes, 32 seconds for the half marathon. Reuters reported that he remains the third-fastest man ever at the distance and owns two of the six fastest performances recorded.
The AIU, an independent body that handles integrity issues in international athletics, announced the sanction on Thursday. Kandie’s case adds to scrutiny of elite distance running in Kenya, though the AIU statement dealt only with the violations tied to his own case.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.