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Kenyan, Brenda Chebet, the World under-20 1500m champion is now suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

The 19-year-old was given a three-year ban due to the presence of the Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) methasterone and its metabolites.

Chebet’s period of ineligibility started September 3, 2023, and continues to September 2, 2026. She has admitted to having broken anti-doping rules.

According to the AIU, Chebet’s results from the date of sample collection on July 8, 2023, are disqualified. She will be required to forfeit medals, and prizes.

She came to prominence during the 2022 World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia where she beat pre-race favourite and defending champion Purity Chepkirui to take the 1500m title. Apparently, she was thought of as the potential heir to Faith Kipyegon’s reign as the world’s best 1500m runner.

“I started off my season with a win in Australia and that’s what has kept me going. Winning the cross-country (World’s in Bathurst) was not easy and that was just a sign for me that I am capable of anything,” she told Pulse Sports News.

“It’s my first time making it to the national team in the senior category. It has not been easy but I’m glad all the effort has paid off well.”

“As I go to Budapest, I just want to run my race and see what I will be able to achieve,” she added.

The July 8 sample collection that resulted in the positive test may explain why she was left off the team to compete in the Budapest World Athletics Championships this summer.

What is methasterone

Methasterone, or Superdrol, is a synthetic anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS). It has never been sold for legitimate medical use. It was sold legally for nine years as a body-building supplement. Because of this lengthy time being “legal,” it has more studies and references than most other designer steroids. However, it is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances.