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.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (@sgmarathon)
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Jail, driving ban for man who collided with motorcyclist, then reoffended with drink driving
SINGAPORE: A driver who collided with a motorcyclist in 2023, causing serious injuries, reoffended two years later when he was caught drink driving. For both offences, Su Chao was sentenced to five weeks' jail and a fine of S$5,000 (US$3,900) on Monday (Jun 9). The 39-year-old was also given driving bans, comprising a three-year ban which began on May 23, 2025, and a five-year ban to take effect from his date of release. The final sentence includes a one-week prison term for an unrelated charge under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) for making a false statement in an application for a work permit. The first offence took place on May 7, 2023, when Su, a Singapore permanent resident and Chinese national, was driving along Tampines Expressway (TPE) towards the Pan-Island Expressway at about 10pm. He was on his way home after drinking at least two cans of beer while having dinner at a coffee shop near Teban Gardens. He was on the leftmost lane of a three-lane road while the victim, 53-year-old Chin Niyok Lian, was riding a motorcycle in front of him. As they neared a slip road entering the TPE from the left, Ms Chin slowed down when she saw a double-decker bus entering from the slip road. Su similarly saw the bus and Ms Chin in front of him, but he did not slow down and collided with the motorcycle from behind. The impact caused Ms Chin to fall sideways from the motorcycle. She rolled on the road about nine times before coming to a stop, according to court documents. She was taken to hospital where she was found to have an upper arm bone fracture, bruises and abrasions on her limbs. She underwent surgery and had to go through physiotherapy and hand occupational therapy to strengthen her left elbow and shoulder. While she did not sustain permanent disability from the accident, Ms Chin could experience left arm discomfort or pain when carrying heavy items. She now fears riding motorcycles and has sold the vehicle. The proportion of alcohol in Su's breath was 18 microgrammes of alcohol in every 100ml of breath, below the prescribed limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath. SU REOFFENDED On Feb 16, 2025, Su consumed about 6L of beer at about 9.30pm at Geylang. He fell asleep but woke up at about 3am to drive home. The traffic police were conducting checks along Guillemard Road and stopped Su at 3.13am. Su "reeked" of alcohol and failed the breath test at the scene. A breath analysing device test conducted on him later found that the proportion of alcohol in his breath was 62 microgrammes of alcohol in every 100ml of breath, above the prescribed limit. Deputy Public Prosecutor Kathy Chu sought between one and three months' jail, and between S$5,000 and S$6,000 fine for Su, along with a five-year driving ban. The prosecution considered that the injuries in the case of the motocyclist were not permanent, and factored in Su's "high degree of carelessness". Ms Chu urged the court to consider how Su had reoffended, given how he had been charged before committing the drink driving offence. For careless driving causing grievous hurt, Su could have been jailed for up to two years, or fined up to S$5,000, or both.
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Teen motorcyclist seriously injured in early morning collision with bus on Lim Chu Kang Road
SINGAPORE: A traffic accident involving a bus and a motorcycle occurred in the early hours of the morning on Jun 5 along Lim Chu Kang Road, resulting in serious injuries to a 19-year-old motorcyclist. According to a video shared on the Singapore Road Accidents Facebook page, the bus was in the process of turning when the incident took place. The footage suggests that the bus driver may not have noticed the motorcycles approaching at speed, which likely contributed to the collision. The impact was so strong that it caused significant damage to the motorcycle and threw the rider to the ground. The Singapore Police Force confirmed that the accident occurred at around 2 a.m. The motorcyclist lost consciousness following the crash and was immediately taken to the National University Hospital for treatment. Police arrested the 58-year-old male bus driver on suspicion of negligent driving causing serious injury. Investigations are ongoing.
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Woman was pinned down by three police officers and arrested at Changi Airport
SINGAPORE: A 42-year-old woman was arrested at Changi Airport's Terminal 1 on the evening of Jun 6 after allegedly using abusive language towards a public servant, according to a police statement. The police stated that they received a call for assistance at approximately 6:25 p.m. and subsequently apprehended the woman. She is currently under investigation for using offensive language against a public servant. Police inquiries are ongoing. Footage of the incident began circulating on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu on Jun 7, sparking public attention. In the widely shared video, three police officers are seen restraining a woman on the carpeted floor of the baggage check-in area, as several bystanders watched the scene unfold. The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, can be heard screaming incoherently in the video. The original video was uploaded by a user who identified himself only as Mr Liew M.K. He described the woman as having dyed brown hair and multiple tattoos on her left arm. She appeared to be of Asian descent. According to Mr Liew, the woman had been behaving erratically at the self-service check-in kiosks, striking the machines in what he described as an agitated state. He said security personnel approached her to intervene, which reportedly escalated the situation and led to a confrontation. Mr Liew, who was preparing to fly to Melbourne with his family that evening, said the woman was eventually handcuffed and escorted away by police.
