Kenyan Norah Jeruto, who runs for Kazakhstan, has been cleared of all doping charges. The decision comes after a long and arduous appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The case sets a new precedent and is a landmark decision.
She first won her doping case against the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in 2024.
The case centred on whether Jeruto had violated a rule around blood doping. Her blood samples were taken in 2020 and 2021. And the AIU had claimed to have found abnormalities that constituted an anti-doping rule violation.
Jeruto had attributed the unusual test results to stomach ulcers and a bout of COVID-19.
The CAS found Jeruto not in violation of the WADA Code regarding the alleged abnormalities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).
World Athletics had appealed the decision, seeking a four-year ban for Jeruto.
While making the final conclusion, the CAS panel said, “The appeal filed by World Athletics against the appealed Decision is dismissed. And the Appealed Decision is upheld.”
Jeruto will pay CAS Kshs 155372.53 (1,000 Swiss Franc). World Athletics shall bear its costs and pay a contribution towards Jeruto’s legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with these arbitration proceedings in the amount of Kshs 776,862.67 (Swiss Franc 5,000)
The 29-year-old won the 3000m steeplechase title at the 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships. She finished with the third-fastest time in history of 8:53.02.
Jeruto had won the 2016 African Championships and the Diamond League title in 2021, representing Kenya.
She also won the world U18 title in the 2000m steeplechase in 2011, but missed the Tokyo Olympics due to her application to represent Kazakhstan.
