Kenya's athletic officials on Tuesday banned the national 400 metres champion Elizabeth Muthoka for two years after failing a dope test.

The Athletics Kenya (AK) has also cancelled a new national 400 metres record of 50.8 seconds that Muthoka set this year and has returned earnings from competitions this year.

Muthoka tested positive for banned substance nandrolone at the National Athletics Championshipson June 28. It was at the meet where she sprung to prominence breaking the then national record twice in two days.

"She was one of six athletes selected randomly to undergo tests at the national championships and in accordance with IAAF stipulations, we have handed her an automatic two year ban," AK secretary-general David Okeyo told journalists in Nairobi.

Okeyo said that she had taken prescription medicine before hand, "She had declared on the form that she was taking drugs to boost her haemoglobin levels but whatever she has tested positive for is different from the drugs."

He said AK had kept the matter under wraps until they had comprehensively studied the results and given her time to appeal.

"It is a sensitive matter that could have legal implications so we had to wait until all the paperwork had been completed and resolved before breaking the news."

The reigning Africa 10,000m bronze medallist Grace Momanyi's axing from the team in Beijing also turned out to be a thorny issue with the officials failing to comment until a report is compiled and presented to the National Olympic Committee.

AK chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said the association will introduce dope tests at national championships, trials and any other international meet held in Kenya.

"Kenya has the highest number of athletes in the world and we need to keep on checking because IAAF has taken a very tough stance against drugs. It is very costly exercise but we feel it's an important part of our activities," he said.

Muthoka had a good season this year smashing a 24 year old national record on June 26 clocking 51.4 seconds to smash Ruth Waithera's 400 metres record of 51.56 seconds set way back in 1984 during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Then at the national trials she further lowered it to 50.8 seconds. She was then selected for the Olympics up but she never made the trip.

Two time New York runner-up Susan Chepkemei was banned for a year after testing positive for Salbutamol.

Simon Kemboi tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2000 while boxer David Munyasia was sent home from Athens after testing positive for cathene (miraa).

Okeyo said Muthoka has to meet some IAAF requirements before making a come back.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2008)