2017 London Marathon winner Wanjiru given provisional anti-doping suspension

Bengaluru, April 15: Kenya's 2017 London Marathon winner Daniel Wanjiru has been provisionally suspended due to an alleged anti-doping violation.

The 27-year-old has been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit of the due to irregularities in his biological passport.

Wanjiru won the London Marathon three years ago in a time of 2hrs, 5min and 56sec.

The AIU has provisionally suspended marathon specialist Daniel Kinyua Wanjiru of Kenya with immediate effect for an Athlete Biological Passport violation under the @worldathletics Anti-Doping Rules.
Find out more ⬇️https://t.co/opInfkVlnV #AIUNews#CleanSport pic.twitter.com/4DEGT6w896

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) April 14, 2020

A statement from the Wanjiru's management company said the Kenyan denied the accusation.

"This statement comes from the heart, I'm clean in the sports I do," he said.

"The ABP [athlete biological passport] finding is confusing and frustrating me. Specialists have informed me about how this can happen and I've come to realise there can be hundreds of reasons found why HB [haemoglobin] is fluctuating.

"I feel I'm already seen as a sinner of doping, but I'm not. I'm innocent.

"It's very painful what's happening to me now. I've always believed that those athletes who're suspended because of a doping violation, were indeed guilty of what they did.

"But I've realised that being charged of guilt is just easy and now proving being unguilty is hard.

"I stand for clean sports. My results of the past came through hard work only. I've never used doping.

"We're currently investigating the case. Knowing I've never used anything, I've faith everything will be all right," the statement added.

Wanjiru had also won the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon and finished eighth and 11th in the past two London marathons.

(With World Athletics Media inputs)