Ethiopian runner Berihu Aregawi has broken the world record in men’s 10-kilometer road racing, with a time of 26 minutes, 33 seconds. This achievement comes after Kenyan runner Rhonex Kipruto was stripped of his world record and banned for six years in a doping case.
Kipruto’s defense cited illnesses, training habits, and increased alcohol use during the pandemic as contributing factors to the irregularities found in his biological passport data. However, a disciplinary panel found that these factors did not explain the severity of the abnormalities and that there was likely help from third parties.
The ban on Kipruto was extended to six years due to aggravating circumstances. All of his results since September 2018 have been disqualified, including a world championship bronze medal and his 10k road record. This case is part of a larger trend of doping cases involving Kenyan distance runners. Another Kenyan runner, Rodgers Kwemoi, was banned for six years in a similar case last month based on blood sample data.
