World 5,000m silver medallist Mohamed Katir handed four-year ban

World 5,000 metres silver medallist Mohamed Katir has been banned by the Disciplinary Tribunal for four years for Tampering in relation to a Whereabouts Failure on Friday.

The 26-year-old Spanish middle-distance runner, who is currently serving a two-year ban until 6 February 2026 for three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period, was sanctioned under Rule 2.5 of the Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) relating to Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control by an Athlete or other Person, following a charge brought by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on 12 June 2024.

The four-year ban will run concurrently with the ongoing Whereabouts Failures sanction, extending Katir’s ban from the sport until February 2028.

Katir, also a world 1,500 metres bronze medallist, was found to have falsified travel documents (namely a travel Itinerary, boarding pass and booking confirmation) in an attempt to mislead investigators as they probed the veracity of his explanation for a Whereabouts Failure that occurred on 28 February 2023.

AIU Head Brett Clothier said the ruling underscored the seriousness of Tampering. “Gone are the days in athletics when explanations offered in anti-doping cases are just accepted at face value. Thanks to strong investment in investigations, since its inception in 2017, the AIU has prosecuted 25 Tampering cases,” stressed Clothier.