NY Marathon champ Kipsang misses drug test; accuses Kenyan federation of smearing him

NAIROBI, Kenya — Former marathon world-record holder Wilson Kipsang accused Kenya's athletics federation on Wednesday of smearing his name by disclosing that he missed an out-of-competition doping test last month.

Athletics Kenya said it was notified by the International Association of Athletics Federations of the unsuccessful attempt to test the 2014 New York Marathon champion on Nov. 11.

No sanction will be imposed against Kipsang because it was his first missed test, Athletics Kenya said.

Kipsang was made aware that he would be in violation of anti-doping rules if he misses three tests within an 18-month period, the Kenyan federation said.

Kipsang called the Athletics Kenya statement a "breach of privacy with malicious target to soil my name and efforts."

Kipsang said he was aware of the IAAF notification.

"I have submitted all necessary required details and the matter was settled accordance to the governing law," he said in a statement.

The athlete said, on the day of the test, he was in South Africa to attend a global athletics conference where he was the Kenyan and African representative. He said Athletics Kenya was aware of his whereabouts.

"Missing unwillingly a single test, in fact for the first time cannot amount to issuing a press statement by a national federation," Kipsang said. "I am not the only athlete who misses a test. I am not the first one in Kenya, neither in the whole world. Then, why Kipsang?"

He said he would seek legal action against the "unprofessional misconduct" of Athletics Kenya.

Kipsang's missed test comes amid a recent spike in doping cases involving Kenyans. Eighteen Kenyan runners failed doping tests in 2012 and 2013, according to a doping report released earlier this year, a rate of nearly one per month. That compared with 18 Kenyan doping cases in the 19 years before 2012, the report said.

According to the report, banned substances have become easily available to runners in the East African country, where there are no effective doping controls.

Recently, marathon runner Rita Jeptoo tested positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO. David Okeyo and Jackson Tuwei, who are vice presidents of Athletics Kenya, said that Jeptoo's "A" sample taken in an out-of-competition test in Kenya on Sept. 25 showed traces of the drug.

The 33-year-old Jeptoo, one of the highest profile Kenyan athletes to fail a doping test, won her second straight title in Chicago on Oct. 12. She was set to be named the winner of the World Marathon Majors series before it was revealed that she had failed a doping test.

The failed test was about two weeks before her victory in Chicago.

Athletics Kenya said testing of Jeptoo's "B" sample is being conducted this week.

On Monday, Athletics Kenya banned marathoners Viola Chelangat Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo for two years for testing positive for the prohibited substance norandosterone.