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Farah rival Kiptum suspended for drugs violation just two days before London Marathon
World half marathon record holder will miss Sunday's huge event after the Athletics Integrity Unit banned him
MO FARAH'S big rival Abraham Kiptum is out of Sunday's London Marathon after being suspended for a doping violation.
Race organisers say Kenya's world half-marathon record holder, 29, has already left the capital following today's provisional ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
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The AIU acted over a breach of the Athlete Biological Passport, which uses blood tests to detect possible doping rather than test for specific substances.
The organisation said: "The AIU confirms a provisional suspension against Kenyan long-distance runner Abraham Kiptum for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation under the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Anti-Doping Rules."
The AIU regards provisional suspensions as mandatory under IAAF anti-doping rules.
London Marathon director Hugh Brasher released a statement saying: "We have a zero-tolerance policy on doping.
"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."
Kiptum set his world half-marathon record of (58minutes and 18seconds) in Valencia last year.
Meanwhile, Brit Farah insists he is relaxed and boxing clever ahead of Sunday's 26.2-miler - despite his amazing row with former friend Haile Gebrselassie over a hotel stay.
World-record holder Eliud Kipchoge is the huge favourite but Farah, 36, told London's Standard: “It’s like the first Tyson-Holyfield fight, when Tyson was the big favourite and lost.
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"If you can’t win in your home town, what are you here for?
"I’m happy, I’ve done everything I need to do. I’m good to go. I'll take his ear off!”
But Farah added: “I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself if I don’t beat Eliud at some point in my career.”
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