Kenyan runner had been due to race the London Marathon on Sunday

Kenya’s world half-marathon record-holder Abraham Kiptum has been provisionally suspended from competition following an athlete biological passport (ABP) violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit‏ (AIU) has announced.

The AIU confirms a Provisional Suspension against Kenyan long-distance runner Abraham Kiptum for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation under the @iaaforg Anti-Doping Rules.
Find out more ➡ https://t.co/opInfkVlnV#CleanSport pic.twitter.com/cYfRgWoFkW

— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) April 26, 2019

The 29-year-old had been due to race in Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon but following news of his suspension, event organisers confirmed that Kiptum had left the UK capital.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy on doping,” said London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher.

“London is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and we recently announced a groundbreaking extensive intelligence-driven testing programme.

“This shows the programme is working. Cheats will be caught and there is no place for them in marathon running.”

This explains why I saw Abraham Kiptum put in a car along with his suitcase outside the Tower Hotel (London Marathon HQ) at around 5.30pm today. https://t.co/bVbUND6Klb

— Malcolm Anderson (@malc_anderson) April 26, 2019

Kiptum clocked a time of 58:18 at the Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso last October to break the world half-marathon record, which had been set by Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese in 2010, by five seconds.

Kiptum’s mark improved on his PB of 59:09 which had been set just six weeks before in Copenhagen.

He ran a fast marathon in Abu Dhabi in December but his 2:04:16 is not his official PB as the course was later deemed to be short. His best time for the full 26.2-mile event is 2:05:26, run in Amsterdam in 2017.