The IAU temporarily suspends Lawrence Cherono and Randolph Ross, deprived of Worlds

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Saturday that it had provisionally suspended Kenyan marathoner Lawrence Cherono, who tested positive for trimetazidine, and American Randolph Ross, a 400m specialist, suspected of attempted to interfere during a check.

The World Athletics Championships are probably already over before they even started for Lawrence Cherono and Randolph Ross. The Kenyan marathon runner and the American 400m specialist sprinter were provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Saturday afternoon. A decision which should logically prevent them from defending their chances in Eugene.

In a statement , the IAU explained that Cherono (33) had tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance. This drug normally used in the treatment of angina pectoris has already found itself at the heart of doping cases, notably concerning the Chinese swimmer Sun Yang or the Russian skater Kamila Valieva during the last Winter Olympics.

Second in the Boston Marathon this season (2h07’21), Cherono also finished fourth in the Olympic event last August in Tokyo. The Eugene Worlds marathon must take place on Sunday (3:15 p.m. French time).

Ross, 4th best performer of the season in the 400m

Also suspended, Randolph Ross is accused by the AIU of having tried to interfere while the agency was trying to carry out a doping test on June 18. The American sprinter (21) was one of the Olympic champion 4x400m relay members in Tokyo last summer.

He had also won the university title, in April in Eugene, with a time of 44”13, becoming the fourth best performer in the world of the season, before taking third place in the United States Championships . But Ross should watch the 400m series from afar on Sunday (8:05 p.m. EAT).

Source: Reuters

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