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Thomas Kibet taken off Tallinn Marathon podium finish after doping offense and he must return the nearly $18,000US in prize money

Kenya's Thomas Kibet has been stripped off his Tallinn Marathon second-place finish and slapped with a three-year ban after violating an anti-doping rule.

Kenya’s Thomas Kibet Kutere is the latest athlete to be added to the list of shame owing to the presence/use of a prohibited substance (Norandrosterone).

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced that the athlete will be banned for three years and his results from September 10 have since been disqualified.

This means that his second-place finish at the Tallinn Marathon will be disqualified and he would also be forced to return the prize money of Ksh 2,727,663.06 ($17,977US).

The AIU requires that after a doping offense, the national federations should, “Ensure full enforcement of any final decision taken under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, including the return of a disqualified athlete’s medals, titles and awards and repayment of prize money.”

Meanwhile, Kibet’s term has also been reduced to three years after he admitted to having committed the offense.

“In the event that the Athlete or other Person either admits the violation and accepts the proposed Consequences or is deemed to have admitted the violation and accepted the Consequences as per Rule 8.5.2(f), the Integrity Unit will promptly.

“issue a decision confirming the commission of the violation(s) and the imposition of the specified Consequences (including, if applicable, a justification for why the maximum potential sanction was not imposed),

“Publicly Report that decision in accordance with Rule 14; and send a copy of the decision to the Athlete or other Person and to any other party that has a right, further to Rule 13, to appeal the decision (and any such party may, within 15 days of receipt, request a copy of the full case file pertaining to the decision),” the AIU said in a statement.