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In a shocking turn of events, Mohamed Katir, Spain’s one of the most celebrated athletes, the 2023 World 5000m silver medalist, has been handed a 4-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The suspension, announced on December 20, 2024, comes in response to Katir tampering and falsifying documents during an ongoing investigation. This new penalty will run altogether with the 2-year ban he was already serving for missing three doping tests. That puts him away till 2028, and it’s going to be a long while.

This news has stirred outrage among everyone; fans and critics alike, and people are angry, and in support of the ban. One fan expressed his frustration by saying, “the guy should rot for life for doing such a thing!” and similar reactions can be witnessed from others as well.

A tarnished legacy: From silver to shame

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Katir, 26, originally from El Riffi, Morocco, constantly saw the limelight in the athletics world due to his significant feats, including getting a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships. But Katir has now been overshadowed by his fall from grace. His initial 2-year ban was announced in February 2024 due to missing three doping tests within a 12-month period. That’s already crazy! He took a significant blow to his career. However, the revelation of document tampering escalated the situation, prompting the AIU to extend the punishment for a few more years.

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Is Mohamed Katir's 4-year ban a fair punishment or an overreaction by the AIU?