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Ethiopian Jemila Wortesa and Ugandan Mercyline Chelangat were suspended for doping by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in two separate announcements today. Wortesa for EPO and Chelangat for testosterone. It was also announced on December 20th by World Athletics that Kenyan Emmanuel Kipruto Kiprop has been suspended for alleged disclosure issues related to money earned in a private deal in Japan.
Jemila Wortesa
Wortesa tested positive, in-competition at the 2025 Guiyang Marathon in China. Her sample was tested at the World Anti-Doping approved laboratory in Beijing, China.
Wortesa claimed that she believed that she was taking a vitamin and that the person selling it to her assured her it was harmless. After several attempts to interview the athlete with an interpreter, each delayed by a unique excuse, on Dec. 9, the AIU decided to announce the three-year suspension, as she admitted fault and took responsibility. She received a one-year reduction from the standard four-year suspension.
Her personal best in the marathon is 2:28:01 from the 2023 Rome Marathon. Wortesa also ran a 1:13:25 half-marathon in Vadodara, India.
Mercyline Chelangat
Twenty-eight-year-old Mercyline Chelangat from Uganda was suspended for testosterone use.
Little is known at this time about how or where she was tested.
What we do know is that she is a bronze medallist from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, having clocked a 31:48.41. She finished 12th at the 2017 Kampala World Cross Country Championships.
Chelangat has a 10,000 metre personal best of 31:15.05 from the 2021 Hengelo Diamond League meet. Her marathon best is from the 2023 Enschede, NED marathon, where she finished in 2:24:12.
Emmanuel Kipruto Kiprop
Interestingly, World Athletics has announced the suspension of Emmanuel Kipruto Kiprop. A decision made by the Athletes’ Representatives Panel.
“The suspension arises from Kipruto’s non-compliance with an order issued by the Panel following a dispute lodged against him under the Athletes’ Representatives Rules. The suspension is effective immediately and will remain in force until Kipruto complies fully with the Panel’s order.
In its decision, the Athletes’ Representatives Panel ordered that Kipruto is suspended from participating in athletics until he provides the Panel with copies of all contractual documentation, together with a full breakdown of his earnings related to his employment with a Japanese club. The Panel also ordered that Kipruto reimburse expenses paid on his behalf by his Athlete Representative. The Panel further determined that, independently of and in addition to the disclosure required, any failure by Kipruto to reimburse the expenses within the time limit set out by the Panel will also result in an automatic suspension from participating in athletics until such reimbursement has been made.
World Athletics notes that the suspension will be lifted only upon confirmation that the requirements set out in the Panel’s decision have been satisfied in full.”
Kiprop is listed as Kenyan by World Athletics at this time.
The 26-year-old has not represented the country in international competition yet.
His best 10,000m performance was 27:29.10 from November last year. He has run a little faster on the roads over 10km with his 27:13 from Lille, FRA in 2023 and in May this year, he clocked his 5000m PB at 13:06.71 in Japan.
It is alleged that Kiprop did not inform his agent and therefore did not pay his agent for money he earned outside of his usual sources. More to come from this.
