Kibrom Weldemicael, the winner of the 2024 Geneva Marathon, has been disqualified and handed a six-year ban after testing positive for banned substances. The Eritrean athlete, who finished the race in 2:09:57, will be ineligible to compete until 2030, tarnishing what had been an impressive season.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) revealed that Weldemicael’s post-race drug test detected the presence of erythropoietin (EPO) and furosemide. EPO boosts endurance by increasing red blood cell production, while furosemide, a diuretic, is often used to mask other performance-enhancing drugs. Both substances are strictly banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) regulations.
Weldemicael was informed of the positive test at the Paris Olympics, where he was set to represent Eritrea in the marathon. Following a provisional suspension, the 37-year-old denied taking the substances and attributed his high red blood cell levels to years of high-altitude training. However, he failed to pay for a B-sample analysis, forfeiting his chance to challenge the findings.
With the AIU concluding that he committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV), Weldemicael’s Geneva Marathon victory has been nullified. However, his earlier win at Spain’s Maratón BP Castellón in February 2024 remains valid. Weldemicael, who set a personal best of 2:07:25 this year, is now banned from competition until May 2030, marking a significant blow to his marathon career, which included an eighth-place finish at the 2015 London Marathon.
