Three of the leading officials in Kenyan athletics have been suspended after being accused subverting anti-doping processes and siphoning off sponsorship money from Nike.

Athletics Kenya's president Isaiah Kiplagat, vice-president David Okeyo and former treasurer Joseph Kinyua have all been suspended for 180 days by the ethics commission of the IAAF, athletics' world governing body.

Okeyo is also an IAAF council member while Kinyua was Kenya’s team leader at the IAAF 2015 World Championships in Beijing in August.

An IAAF ethics commission statement said the action had been taken by its chairman Michael Beloff QC.

The statement says: “The chairman has imposed these orders for provisional suspension having carefully considered the complaints, evidence and information referred to the ethics commission.

“[These] disclose prima facie cases, i.e. cases warranting investigation, against Mr Kiplagat, Mr Okeyo and Mr Kinyua in relation to (1) potential subversion of the anti-doping control process in Kenya and (2) potential improper diversion from Athletics Kenya of funds received from Nike.

"A prima facie case has also been found to exist in respect of Mr Kiplagat in relation to receipt, personally or by Athletics Kenya, of an apparent gift of two motor vehicles from the Qatar Association of Athletics Federation in the period 2014-2015."

An investigation will now be carried out which will then lead to a decision on whether disciplinary charges should follow. The ethics commission has appointed Sharad Rao, the former director of public prosecutions, as its investigator.

Okeyo has denied any wrongdoing and said all funds had been fully accounted for by Athletics Kenya and audited.