The Kenyan runner ran 57:32 for the half in 2020 and is a Commonwealth 10,000m bronze medallist.
Kenya’s former half-marathon world record holder Kibiwot Kandi has been banned for seven years after admitting refusing to collect samples and breaching doping control.
Kandy would have received an eight-year ban, but had it reduced by a year for early admission and acceptance of the sanction, meaning he is ineligible to return to the sport until 2032.
The 30-year-old was found to have violated the anti-doping rules, which relate to “failure, avoidance or failure to submit samples by an Athlete” and “violation or attempted falsification of any part of doping control by an Athlete or other person.”
Kandy, a three-time winner of the Valencia Half Marathon in 2020, 2022 and 2023, set a world record of 57:32 in 2020, although he now sits third in the world all-time behind Jacob Kiplimo and Yomif Keelcha.
“The statement of the Athletics Integrity Unit says: “In a testament to the AIU’s strong investigative capabilities, Kandi’s initial explanations for refusing to provide a sample are false after the AIU conducted forensic analysis of his phone and financial records, while coordinating with Kenyan authorities to confirm that documents submitted by Kenya were false.
“Temporarily suspended on March 14, 2025 for refusing a doping testKandi was later charged with forgery by the AIU on May 6, 2026.”
“This case is a reminder that no athlete is above the rules of athletics,” said AIU President Brett Clothier. “The AAU runs a complex anti-doping program that rigorously tests the world’s top athletes, and if an athlete refuses a test, it puts the integrity of the sport at risk.
Explaining what happened, AIU continued. “On March 1, 2025, a Doping Control Officer (DCO) and an escort arrived at Kandy’s residential address in Kenya to conduct an out-of-competition test. Despite signing an electronic doping control form to acknowledge that she was required to provide samples and prior to making the phone collection, Sandie noticed the samples. ultimately refusing to cooperate with the DCO, informing him that he had “an important payment to make” to National Construction Authority officials who were about to shut down his construction site two hours away in Eldoret.
“Candy was warned by the DCO that any refusal to be tested would result in the same consequences as a positive test. consequences that Kandi said she understands. He left the house to make further calls and eventually left the property in a car.
“Following the failed testing attempt, the AIU issued a notice of allegation to Kandy on March 13, 2025 and personally interviewed him regarding the violation of ADR Rule 2.3. The AIU has also requested that the athlete hand over his phone for forensic examination.
“An analysis of Kandi’s phone showed that during a test attempt on March 1, 2025, the athlete made multiple calls to a number associated with a registered nurse in Eldoret. Working with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) to obtain the athlete’s financial records, the AIU discovered 12 transfers three months before the test. During interviews with AIU, Kandi claimed that the nurse sold him small household items and analyzed his hemoglobin level, that the repeated calls to him on March 1, 2025 were because he was supposed to meet her in Eldoret the same day to sell some household items.
“Following the imposition of a provisional suspension on March 14, 2025, Kandi submitted an application to the AIU to lift his provisional suspension. As part of that application, Kandi submitted a Certificate of Application for Environmental Impact Assessment, which indicated that the National Environment Management Authority (NE) Eldoret on March 1, 2025 to support the inspection of the construction site by NEMA representatives.
“However, further investigations supported by ADAK revealed that the document submitted by Kandi to the AIU was false. NEMA confirmed that the application number mentioned in the certificate did not exist, that Kandi’s name was not in NEMA’s records, that there was no check on the Eldoret website25, and on March 1, and on March 1 and 2, “Certificate” and “0. was considered invalid.
“On May 6, 2026, Kandi was formally charged with violating ADR 2.3 and ADR 2.5. Kandy admitted to both violations and accepted the stated ineligibility period. Kandy’s ban is in effect from March 14, 2025 (date of temporary suspension) to March 13, 2025.
