A Kenyan athlete, Rodgers Ondaji Gesabwa, who resides in Mexico, has been handed a three-month suspension due to a doping violation linked to the consumption of Coca tea, a traditional South American drink.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Wednesday that Gesabwa, 36, tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following a urine test during the Lima Marathon on May 19, 2024.
Gesabwa, a road runner affiliated with the Federation of Mexican Athletics Associations (FMMA), unknowingly consumed Coca tea, which contains cocaine components, during his stay at a hotel in Lima.
As a result, his performance in the marathon, where he finished third with a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 59 seconds, has been expunged from the records.
AIU stated that Gesabwa’s suspension began on July 10, lasting until October 10, and further clarified that his results from May 19 had been nullified. Coca tea, known as mate de coca, is commonly consumed in South American countries such as Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. It is made from the coca plant, either by brewing dried leaves or using tea bags.
AIU’s findings indicated that Gesabwa’s sample from the marathon showed an Adverse Analytical Finding, with the presence of the cocaine metabolite. Cocaine is listed under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2024 Prohibited List as an S6 stimulant, making its use forbidden for athletes.
Gesabwa was notified of his positive test result on July 10 and immediately faced a provisional suspension. However, the AIU noted that if he could demonstrate the ingestion occurred outside of competition and was not intended to enhance his performance, his ban would be limited to three months. Additionally, the ban could be reduced to one month if he successfully completed a substance abuse treatment program approved by the AIU.
In his defense, Gesabwa maintained that he consumed tea during his meals at the hotel in Lima, unaware that it contained the banned substance.
