New Zealand marathon record holder banned for 8 years for doping
"This athlete has cheated, or intentionally cheated in the doping testing process," the New Zealand Sports Court notice on March 22 reads.
Accordingly, Robertson was banned from playing for four years for "having traces of use or intentional use of the banned substance Erythropoietin (EPO)" and an additional four years for "deceitful conduct".
Roberton has been New Zealand's number one long-distance runner for about 10 years. The athlete born in 1989 currently holds the national record for marathon distance (42.195km) with 2 hours 8 minutes 19 seconds and half marathon (21.0975km) with 59 minutes 47 seconds. He is also the former owner of the national record of 10,000m with 27 minutes 33.67 seconds. Robertson won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. He also represented New Zealand to compete in the last two Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Roberton and his twin brother Jake were once sports inspirations in New Zealand, when they left their hometown to live in Iten - the highlands considered a mecca for running in Kenya since the age of 17 - to pursue dream of becoming the world's top long-distance runner. This athlete's doping scandal has been around since sample A - collected when he attended the Great Manchester Run in May 2022 - was positive for EPO. Robertson then asserted his innocence and appealed, before sample B gave the same result.
Then, according to the New Zealand Herald, the 34-year-old runner testified that he went to a medical facility in Kenya to get a Covid-19 vaccine, but was instead provided with Covid-19 drugs including EPO. Robertson also claimed to have informed his doctor that he was an athlete and could not be treated with a banned substance in sports.
However, an investigation by anti-doping agency New Zealand (DFSNZ) revealed that Robertson was not given EPO at the medical facility he declared, nor did he arrive at the place at the time he claimed. DFSNZ investigators also discovered that of the two doctors Robertson claimed to have treated him, one was a laboratory technician, the other was not an employee of the medical facility. Robertson's medical record was also not issued by the medical facility he declared, and the patient number on this medical record belongs to someone else.
As a result, DFSNZ accused Robertson of committing fraud by making false statements and forging relevant documents.
"Zane Robertson's violations are deeply disappointing. His conduct goes against all the values that the New Zealand Sports Team is up to," said Nicki Nico, CEO and Secretary General of the Commission, New Zealand Herald. Olympics in this country.
However, the punishment for Robertson was only symbolic and deterrent. Before the punishment was announced, Robertson announced his retirement in February, but made no mention of the doping incident.
