Emmaculate Anyango (Source: Athletics Illustrated)

Kenyan cross-country runner Emmaculate Anyango has been banned for six years after failing a doping test for testosterone and the blood-forming hormone EPO, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has announced.

The 24-year-old, who became the second woman to complete a 10 km race in less than 29 minutes (28:57) in Valencia in January, was provisionally suspended last month.

According to the AIU, Anyango said in September that she did not know how EPO and testosterone metabolites were found in her system, but she admitted that she had been injected with the drug during her treatment in several hospitals after fainting.

She said she had neither deliberately taken nor injected banned substances, but the AIU was not satisfied with her explanation and charged her with violating anti-doping rules.

The AIU added that Anyango failed to respond to the charge by the November 1 deadline, waiving his right to a hearing, while several samples testing positive for banned substances ultimately led to to a longer ban.

His ban takes effect on September 26 and all of his results since February 3 have been disqualified.

Anyango finished fourth at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in March in Serbia, where Kenya won the team gold medal.