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Apparently, cheating runs in the family. At least for the Barsosio’s of Kenya it does.

First Stella Barsosio (also known as Stellah) was suspended for doping. Now her 40-year-old sister Agness Barsosio has been given a five-year provisional doping ban.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) made the announcement on Monday. The AIU cited Barsosio as having been provisionally suspended due to a Prohibited Substance/Method indicated by an Athletics Biological Passport (ABP) anomaly.

The Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) suspended Stella in February 2023 for two years for the presence of the prohibited substance, trimetazidine.

On May 25, 2023, Barsosio provided an explanation for the Adverse Passport Finding. In summary, she sought to explain the abnormalities in the Passport by altitude changes (within Kenya), irregular menstruation, irregular training and irregular diet (specifically in relation to iron-rich foods). Her explanation was forwarded to the AIU’s Expert Panel, however, was rejected.

Agness participated in the 18th edition of the Brazzaville International Half-Marathon on Sept. 13, in Brazzaville, Congo. She did this knowing that she was suspended.

The AIU notified Barsosio about the adverse findings in her ABP on May 16. The AIU filed an explanation for the adverse passport finding by May 26, this year. She made Sh6.9 million (Kenyan shillings) in the inaugural Nairobi City Marathon in August.

The younger 30-year-old sister has won several marathons including the 2016 Belgrade Marathon, 2017 Cracovia Marathon in Kraków, Poland, Skopje Marathon Skopje, and Rotterdam Marathon among others. Her personal best is 2:22:08 from the 2021 Rotterdam Marathon.

Agnes has also won several times. Her personal best is from the 2017 running of the Paris Marathon where she clocked a 2:20:59 performance.

Both athletes seemed to have a jump in performance around the year 2017.

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