Athletics Kenya (AK) is nervously waiting for confirmation from IAAF or World Anti Doping Agency ( Wada) of reports as one of her most recognized female marathoners and two-time Chicago and Boston titleholder, Rita Jeptoo has failed a drug test.

AK president, Isaiah Kiplagat on Friday denied knowledge of claims published on the RunBlogRun.com website that Jeptoo's A- Sample from an out-of-competition urine test had tested positive for a banned substance in a case that would be catastrophic to Kenyan distance runners who have dominated the sport worldwide.

"I'm aware of the online reports about Jeptoo but until IAAF and WADA inform us officially, we cannot comment on the matter since it is a very serious issue. We don't want to pre-empt anything and once we receive official communication, we shall address the issue," Kiplagat told local media.

Following the development, World Marathon Majors (WMM), the elite circuit that comprises of Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York city races has canceled their planned award ceremony this weekend for the 2013/14 jackpot winners after Jeptoo clinched an equal share of the 1 million U.S. dollars payout after defending her Chicago crown in 2:24:35 on Oct. 12.

This is the strongest indication yet that the star marathoner who completed four back to back WMM victories, the first time and athlete male or female had sealed the perfect score in the elite circuit is under doping watch.

Jeptoo was summoned to AK headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday when the news broke but according to the federation boss, "She could have been here for other things. What I know she is supposed to attend the Marathon Majors presentation in New York."

To strip her of her 500,000 dollar top prize, WMM must confirm her B-Sample has also tested positive and relevant authorities have proscribed punishment that ranges from total to partial ban from the sport.

World governing body referred queries on the drug bust to AK with Jeptoo's management, Rosa Associati that handles a number of high profile runners not replying to email questions for confirmation by the time of going to press.

Despite the official denial, Xinhua has been informed by sources within the federation that the athlete pressed her case to AK top brass claiming she took medication for tropical disease while others claimed involvement of blood boosting substances.

What is not in doubt is the reports have hit Kenyan athletics like a thunderbolt less than a month after a government sponsored Anti-Doping Task Force frayed AK for being complicit in investigating claims of illegal substance use in the top echelons of the sport.

The taskforce led by Professor Moni Wekesa accused Kiplagat of ' arrogantly refusing summons to appear before this committee' with their report saying 32 Kenyan athletes have tested positive for banned substances with 17 among them in the period between 2012 and 2013.

This spike in cases saw Wada push the government to investigate doping in athletics or Kenya risks exclusion from international competition following an explosive report by German TV ARD that alleged systematic doping among the country's athletes.

Kiplagat slammed ARD's investigative reports saying only " small athletes" are involved in the vice but should Jeptoo's claims be substantiated, the long-serving leader of the sport faces an uphill task to clear the image of Kenya's most visible sporting export from collateral damage.

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