NAIROBI — The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) have detailed the dramatic circumstances that culminated in a hefty seven-year ban for former world record holder for the men’s half marathon, Kibiwott Kandie.
Kandie was found guilty of refusing and evading to provide his samples for an anti-doping test in addition to tampering with evidence of anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).
The genesis of this longwinding drama goes back to March 1 last year when a doping control personnel (DCP) and a chaperone visited the athlete’s home in Eldama Ravine for an out-of-competition impromptu testing.
According to AIU, Kandie refused to provide his urine sample — although he offered to provide a blood sample — arguing that he had to leave immediately for Eldoret.
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The athlete informed the two officials that officers from the National Construction Authority (NCA) were at the site of a building he was putting up in Eldoret, and had threatened to stop construction works unless he presented some critical documentation.
Despite pleas from the DCP — as well as Kandie’s wife — the 2020 Valencia Half Marathon champion got into his car and sped off for Eldoret, thereby committing ADRV by refusing to provide the sample.
“At or around 13:12, the Athlete got into his car and, without further interaction with the DCO or
Chaperone, drove away from the Eldama Ravine Address. Before the DCO and Chaperone left the Athlete’s property, the Athlete’s wife informed them that she had tried to convince the Athlete to be tested but he had refused. She also confirmed that she was aware that this might result in the Athlete being banned. The DCO and Chaperone then left the Athlete’s property in their car,” the report reads.
Furthermore, AIU discovered that a certificate of application that Kandie presented in his defence — purpotedly from NEMA — was not genuine.
His case was also not helped by the fact that NEMA denied ever conducting a site inspection on the said date cited by Kandie, in addition to not having any records of the athlete as a building owner.
“On 26 March 2026, the AIU received, via ADAK, a letter from the NEMA regarding the Certificate
of Application submitted by the Athlete, which confirmed the following: the application reference number provided on the Certificate of Application does not exist within the NEMA records; the Athlete’s name is not recognised within the NEMA records; and NEMA hold no record of any site inspection at the location stated on the Certificate of Application (the Eldoret Construction Site),” AIU revealed.
A scrutiny of Kandie’s phone further unearthed a number of suspicious calls on the day when the DCO and chaperone visited his home.
The calls were to a registered nurse, to who he had also sent a total of Ksh 18, 2000 between July 2024 to March 2025.
“That analysis revealed that, during the test attempt on 1 March 2025, the Athlete had made
repeated attempts to call a number linked to a registered nurse. On 7 August 2025, ADAK provided the AIU with the Athlete’s M-PESA records for the period July 2024 to March 2025. These records demonstrated that the Athlete made 11 separate transfers of different amounts (between KSh200 to KSh4000) to the Nurse in that period totalling KSh18,200 (circa €120.00),” the report records.
Following overwhelming evidence, the 2020 World Half Marathon silver medalist admitted the offence, which led to a reduction in his ban from the original eight to seven years.
His ban is another slap to the face of an athlete who was once a promising prospect for Kenya in the long distances, particularly in the men’s 10,000m as well as the road races.