AIU Reprimands Banned Kenyan Athlete For Attending Online Courses
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) reprimanded a Kenyan runner Joel Maina Mwangi on Friday after he attended two online courses conducted by World Athletics when the conditions of his ban prevented him from participating in any activity by the athletics body.
Mwangi was banned for three years in June 2022 for an anti-doping rule violation and the 38-year-old was not authorised to attend any courses apart from anti-doping education or rehabilitation programs.
The Kenyan had attended World Athletics’ Gender Leadership Course in April 2023 followed by the Technical Officials Education and Certification System course in May.
The AIU has reprimanded Joel Maina Mwangi (Kenya) for breaching the rule regarding Prohibition against Participation during Ineligibility (ADR Rule 10.14.1). pic.twitter.com/aDMN3pdiWd
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) August 4, 2023
The AIU said Mwangi had been “seeking to better himself by completing certain education programmes” while serving his ban and apologised for his mistake, not knowing they were prohibited as they did not require in-person attendance.
The AIU added that since he had admitted the breach immediately when he was notified, the body considered only a reprimand and did not add to his ban, which ends on June 22nd, 2025.
