Botswana’s up-and-coming bike racer Ryana Kenaope, 19, has returned an adverse analytical finding for prednisolone, the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has confirmed.
The BNOC said the sample was collected during in-competition testing on Sunday 06 September 2026, the date of the Morupule CEO’s Annual Charity Cycle Challenge where she finished first in the 90km women’s U23 category.
Prednisolone is a corticosteroid listed under S9, Glucocorticoids, on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List. It is prohibited in competition when administered by certain routes. The BNOC has not disclosed the circumstances of the finding, including any medical context.
Kenaope has been notified and is presumed innocent until the adjudicatory process concludes under the World Anti-Doping Code. The finding does not constitute a final determination of an anti-doping rule violation, and the BNOC will not comment further until proceedings conclude.
Botswana Cycling Association president Kagiso Potongwane said the matter rests with the BNOC.
Riding for Tsela Riders in 2026, Kenaope finished second in the U23 women’s race at the Botswana XCO National Championships in August. In March, she placed 11th in the women’s U23 category at the 109 km Cape Town Cycle Tour in 03:40:05, a result that qualified her for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.
Daily News Botswana reports that this is the first doping case involving a cyclist in Botswana’s history, with most previous cases involving athletics.
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