© Copyright – 2019 – Athletics Illustrated
Doping is not only done by elite athletes, but all levels are prone to cheating. This week Canadian and East African doping hit new lows – really bottoming out.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that a teenage Ethiopian athlete tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. African Games 10,000-metre champion Berehanu Tsegu was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO) – a blood booster.
Thursday, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced the suspension of 17-year-old Angela Ndungwa Munguti of Kenya. She is provisionally suspended for the presence of a prohibited substance, which is a violation of the Anti-Doping Rules.
Munguti is an 800-metre specialist with a best of 2:06.21.
Meanwhile, St. John’s, NFLD native David Freake – a 2:32 marathon runner – tested positive for EPO, ephedrine which is a stimulant and other banned substances. He has been handed a four-year suspension from the sport and has apparently waived his right to appeal the ruling.
Apparently, he would run upwards of 200-kilometres per week but was not making fitness advances, therefore turned to doping – perhaps through the fog of fatigue, his perspective was clouding his moral compass.
The World Anti-Doping Agency and the AIU have stepped up their work lately and appear to finally – after 50 years of rampant doping that has sullied this once great sport – have begun to make headway into the very deep doping issue that is rampant.
