Two Kenyan runners fail drug tests at World Championships

The International Association of Athletic Federations has issued provisional suspensions to Kenyan 400 meter runners Koki Manunga and Joyce Zakary after samples the pair turned in last week tested positive for banned substances.

The International Association of Athletic Federations has issued provisional suspensions to Kenyan 400-meter runners Koki Manunga and Joyce Zakary after samples the pair turned in last week tested positive for banned substances.

Both of the runners were tested while participating in the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, and the positive samples were collected at the athletes’ hotel prior to competition, according to a statement released by the IAAF.

Kenya’s governing body for sport, Athletics Kenya, released a statement saying it will cooperate fully with the international body’s investigation, according to CNN.

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Zakary finished second in her heat for the 400m race, but did not run in Tuesday’s semifinal, while Manunga failed to advance after a sixth place finish in her 400m hurdle qualifying heat.

Earlier this month, blood test results for thousands of Olympic and World Championship competitors were leaked to multiple news sources, with The Sunday Times reporting that nearly one-third of medal winners at the sport's most prestigious events had recorded results indicative of blood doping.