Kipyegon Bett fails drugs test
Kipyegon Bett, a Kenyan middle-distance runner who finished one place ahead of Britain’s Kyle Langford at the IAAF World Championships in London last year, has reportedly failed a test for erythropoietin.
The news of the positive test came from Athletics Kenya and Langford reacted with frustration on social media as he tweeted: “I mean would have been nice to get a medal at a home champs in front of the British crowd. Thanks Bett.”
Bett finished four hundredths of a second ahead of the fast-finishing Langford in the world 800m final 12 months ago as Pierre-Ambroise Bosse of France took gold ahead of Adam Kszczot (see above photograph).
The 20-year-old Bett, who also won the world under-20 800m title in 2016, was already serving a provisional suspension for failing to submit an anti-doping sample on August 15.
If Bett’s positive test is confirmed, he joins a growing list of Kenyans who have broken anti-doping rules recently. They include former three-time world 1500m gold medallist Asbel Kiprop, who also tested positive for EPO, plus Olympic marathon gold medallist Jemima Sumgong, Olympic steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet and former Great North Run winner Lucy Kabuu.
