Shame for Kenya as former Olympic and world 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop tests positive for banned substance

Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic and three times world champion over 1500m, has tested positive for a banned substance.

His agent, Federico Rosa, would confirm only that he had ‘heard the same rumour’ and was ‘still trying to get confirmation’.

This was first reported by Daily Mail.

Kiprop has been on the start list of the opening Diamond League of the season in Doha since the event began in 2010 but he is not listed among the athletes to compete there this coming Friday.

The 28-year-old shot to prominence in 2008 when, aged just 19, he finished second in the Olympic 1500m final in Beijing. He was only narrowly beaten by Rashid Ramzi but his silver medal was upgraded to gold when the Bahraini runner tested positive for CERA, which is a modern form of EPO.

At the world championships Kiprop dominated his event, winning in 2011, 2013 and 2015, running the third fastest 1500m in history in 2015 too.

A report in Kenya on Tuesday said a ‘high profile runner’ who has ‘dominated world championships over the years’ was embroiled in a doping scandal.

In a tweet on April 29, Kiprop said: ‘Jesus had to died for your conveniency. But rose for your dreams. He died for us. He is alive & so we shall.’