USADA announced today that track and field athlete Lilian Mariita, a Kenyan athlete, previously residing in Hebron, Kentucky, has received an eight-year sanction for her second anti-doping rule violation.
Mariita, 26, tested positive for an anabolic agent as the result of an in-competition sample collected on July 4, 2015 at the Great Buffalo Chase 5K run in Frankfort, Ky. Anabolic Agents are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the International Association of Athletics Federations (“IAAF”) Anti‐Doping Rules, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Mariita’s eight-year sanction began on August 14, 2015, the day she received notice of a provisional suspension. As a result of the sanction, Mariita is disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to July 4, 2015, the date of her sample collection, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes. Mariita received an eight-year sanction due to this being her second anti-doping rule violation. She was previously sanctioned by Athletics Kenya for an adverse analytical finding for EPO.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as all support team members, such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference documentation.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
For more information or media inquiries, click here.