Kevin Kipkorir lights up as Athletics Kenya hints at reuniting him with relay team in Miramas

Kevin Kipkorir is beaming with joy after Athletics Kenya (AK) indicated that he is cleared to rejoin his teammates in the mixed 4x400m in Miramas ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Kipkorir told Citizen Digital, that he received a phone call from AK on Tuesday and informed that he might join his relay team that is training in Miramas, France, as soon as the following day on Wednesday.

“I received a call this morning and was told I might join my teammates tomorrow in Miramas,” said Kipkorir.

“There is hope I might go to Miramas, but I am still not sure. I am waiting for the final confirmation from Athletics Kenya to be certain,” he added.

Kipkorir, who won the 400m at the national trials in Nairobi, was dropped from the relay team that headed to Miramas, after Team Kenya to Paris Olympics Deputy Chef de Mission, Barnaba Korir, claimed he had not completed the required number of doping tests as per the World Athletics rules.

The 29-year-old however denied the claims, saying he has done all out-of-competition tests required and has papers to prove it.

“The rules state that I should have been tested at least once between October last year and May 3, 2024. And by that time, I had done three tests but AK claims that my third test was conducted less than 21 days before the prescribed period by World Athletics Anti-Doping rules,” he told Citizen Digital.

According to World Athletics Anti-Doping Rule 15.5.1, “Unless otherwise approved by the Integrity Unit in exceptional circumstances, no Athlete may participate as part of a National Team of a Category ‘A’ Member Federation in World Athletics World Championships or Olympic Games unless, in the 10 months prior to the competition, they have undergone at least three no notice out-of-competition tests… All such tests are to be conducted under the authority of an Anti-Doping Organisation no less than 3 weeks apart and the results recorded by the relevant entity in ADAMS.”

Kipkorir says he was cleared by AK to represent Kenya at the recent African Championships where he won the 400m silver medal.

He is however hopeful he will get a chance to represent Kenya at the Paris Olympics.

Efforts to contact Barnaba Korir on his known mobile phone number before this publication were futile, as his phone went unanswered.