Positive doping test rocks cycling
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday October 27, 2026 10:47
This is the first reported doping case involving a cyclist in Botswana, with most previous cases recorded in athletics amid a rise in reported doping incidents in the country. Kenaope tested positive for Prednisolone following an in-competition sample collected by the BNOC on September 6, 2026. BNOC said the substance is classified under S9 - Glucocorticoids in the 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
“The presence of this substance in an athlete’s sample following analysis by a WADA-accredited laboratory constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the Botswana Anti-Doping Rules and World Anti-Doping Code,” the BNOC added in a statement. The committee confirmed that Kenaope has been notified of the adverse analytical finding, but stressed that the cyclist remains presumed innocent as the case proceeds through the adjudicatory process. “At this stage, the athlete is presumed innocent until proven otherwise through the full adjudicatory process,” the statement noted.
The case will be handled in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Results Management to ensure a fair and impartial resolution. The development raises fresh concerns about doping in local sport, although the BNOC has not disclosed further details surrounding the circumstances of the finding. The committee reiterated its opposition to doping, warning that prohibited substances pose risks to athletes’ health and threaten the integrity of sport.
“The BNOC remains unwavering in its commitment to preserving the integrity of sport in Botswana while ensuring due process and fair treatment for all athletes,” the statement read. The BNOC said it would not issue further public statements on the matter until the proceedings had concluded. Kenaope’s case remains subject to the anti-doping process, and the adverse analytical finding should not be treated as a final determination of an anti-doping rule violation. Botswana Cycling Association (BCA) president, Kagiso Potongwane, said he was constrained to comment on the developments.
'The matter you are referring to is being handled by the BNOC who collected the sample during in-competition tests conducted on the athlete. The athlete concerned has been notified of the finding and is yet to respond to the finding,' he said. 'At this stage, the BCA is not able to respond to the matter until the full adjudicatory process is completed,' Potongwane added.