Kenyan road runner Roncer Kipkorir Konga has been banned from athletics for three years after testing positive for testosterone, a prohibited substance.

The suspension, effective from June 16, 2025, also invalidates all his results from December 29, 2024, including forfeiture of titles, medals, awards, prize money, and points earned.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) cited Konga’s early admission and acceptance of the anti-doping rule violation as the reason for reducing the standard four-year ban by one year.

According to the AIU, Konga’s urine sample, collected out-of-competition in Iten, Kenya, on December 29, 2024, was initially reported negative by a WADA-accredited laboratory in Lausanne.

A subsequent analysis requested by the AIU confirmed the presence of testosterone and its metabolites of exogenous origin.

Konga did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the substance.

During an AIU interview, Konga denied knowingly taking testosterone, suggesting that the positive test could have resulted from a traditional herbal medicine prepared by his mother or a supplement named TestoXT Booster.

“I would really want to exploit my talent because I believe in myself and my training. I want to declare that I just used those two before Christmas and I didn’t use any injections,” he said.

However, after consultation with the Athlete Passport Management Unit, the AIU concluded that these substances were unlikely to have caused the positive result.

This is Konga’s first anti-doping violation. Under AIU regulations, the standard ineligibility period for such a violation is four years, but his early admission reduced it to three years.

The AIU highlighted that the disqualification of his results underscores the importance of clean sport and strict adherence to anti-doping regulations.

Konga has waived his right to a disciplinary tribunal hearing. Nonetheless, he, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya can appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The AIU, established by World Athletics, oversees testing, investigations, results management, hearings, sanctions, and appeals to protect the integrity of athletics globally.