Singapore Marathon winner Geoffrey Yegon caught doping, denied US$45,000 prize

SINGAPORE: He was the first to cross the finish line at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) last December, but Kenyan Geoffrey Yegon did not walk away with the coveted US$45,000 cash prize after he was caught doping. 

Yegon was found to have a banned substance in his system following a post-race test on Dec 1 and was subsequently banned from the sport for two years, said an SCSM spokesperson on Friday (May 16) in response to CNA's queries. 

"The SCSM team was informed of the situation by World Athletics and Yegon was removed from event results, with all athletes moving up one position," said the spokesperson. 

The race organiser added that as per event protocol, the US$45,000 prize money was not distributed until World Athletics finalised the anti-doping results and "this process was followed at the 2024 SCSM". 

Yegon breasted the tape at the event in 2:16:06, seconds faster than the runner-up, Uganda’s Abel Sikowo, who came in at 2:16:12. 

A search for the results on the SCSM website now shows Sikowo as the winner of the marathon, though SCSM has not formally announced this. 

"The team was disappointed to learn of this situation and are strong supporters of World Athletics' stance on doping and will continue to support all moves to promote a clean sport," the SCSM spokesperson said. 

The event is sanctioned by Singapore Athletics and engages technical officials to officiate the race, the spokesperson added. 

It also engaged Anti-Doping Singapore, the national anti-doping organisation, to conduct necessary testing in coordination with World Athletics and the Athletics Integrity Unit.

Sports site Athletics Illustrated had reported on Yegon’s two-year ban in an article on Mar 7, stating that a urine sample provided at the SCSM tested positive for triamcinolone acetonide, a synthetic steroid. 

According to the report, Yegon had admitted taking the substance and was therefore given a two-year ban as opposed to a typical four-year ban.

CNA has also asked SCSM when it found out about the test results, and when it had stripped Yegon of the cash prize. 

SCSM was held from Nov 29 to Dec 1 last year and saw 55,000 runners participate. 

The national marathon title was claimed by Soh Rui Yong in 2:46:05, while the half-marathon title was claimed by Shaun Goh in 1:12:31.