Rwanda’s sole representative at the just concluded World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain Sylvain Rukundo came out clean. According to a International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF) report, all doping control tests conducted at the event came out negative. EPO has a history of usage as a blood doping agent in endurance sports such as cycling, athletics and skiing. Prior to the competition the IAAF also conducted its usual blood screening tests. The results of the blood screens are added to other samples taken both pre-competition and out-of-competition over the past year, to form an individual profile for each athlete, which aids the IAAF in monitoring and target testing of athletes. Eighty-one blood screens were collected as part of this programme in Valencia. Erythropoietin or EPO is a glycoprotein hormone that is a cytokine for erythrocyte (red blood cell) precursors in the bone marrow. Also called hematopoietin or hemopoietin, it is produced by the kidney, and is the hormone that regulates red blood cell production. It also has other known biological functions. Erythropoietin plays an important role in the brain’s response to neuronal injury. EPO is also involved in the wound healing process. As a class of drug EPO is an Erythropoietin Stimulating Agent (ESA). Rukundo bowed out of the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championship in Valencia after failing to qualify for the finals of the 3000m event which was finally won by Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele. Meanwhile, the IAAF is now awaiting the final results of the testing from the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh and will announce these as soon as they are received. Rwanda was only represented by Dieudonne Disi in this year’s Cross country championship though he abandoned in the final laps of the event which was won by Ethiopia’s Kenenesia Bekele. Four other athletes; Slyvain Rukundo, Gervais Hakizimana, Jean Baptist Simuceka and Angeline Nyiransabimana failed to take part in the event due to visa problems. Ends
