The running career of Titus Ekiru (31) hangs by a thread. The Kenyan, who in 2021 set the sixth fastest time ever during the Milan marathon (02.02.57), has tested positive twice for the use of banned substances. He would also have cheated with false doctor’s prescriptions.
Ekiru ran the world time at the Milan Marathon in May 2021 and also took the win in Abu Dhabi later that year. After the match in Italy, he tested positive for the banned substance triamcinolone acetonide (anti-inflammatory) and in Abu Dhabi he tested positive for pethidine (painkiller): two substances that are only allowed for medical reasons. Ekiru would say The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) have provided documents to justify its use.
An AIU investigation showed that those documents were forged, and that Ekiru therefore violated the doping rules. He is now facing a 10-year suspension for using a banned substance twice and falsifying medical documents. One that, given his age, almost certainly means the end of his career.
Between 2017 and 2021, Ekiru won the marathons of Mexico City, Honolulu, Seville, Milan and Abu Dhabi, among others, and was also the fastest in the African Games half marathon in 2019.
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