German TV maintains claims of doping among Kenyan athletes

ARD, the German national TV station whose report alleged blood doping among Kenyan runners on Tuesday hit back against claims their findings were baseless as dismissed by Athletics Kenya (AK).

ARD Nairobi Bureau Chief Peter Schreiber said in a statement on Tuesday that the report does not categorically suspect all of Kenya's long distance runners, adding that is certainly not spurred by hatred for Kenyan athletes.

"As Kiplagat (AK chairman Isaiah) put it, we are all aware of the achievements of Kenyan long distance runners and we respect them as a national pride," he said.

According to Schreiber, the report filed by their renowned investigative reporter Hajo Seppelt who is based in their Sports Department in Cologne was put together in accordance to the 'rules of fair journalism.'

Seppelt made the doping allegations in their Saturday show, Sport Inside, aired on May 19 that incurred the wrath of the Kenyan athletics fraternity led by federation chairman, Isaiah Kiplagat as well as National Olympics Committee boss, Dr. Kipchoge Keino.

Schreiber explained ARD commissioned the story upon receiving hints that there might be doping prevalent among the country's distance runners and their findings pointed to "strong indications that at least some Kenyan athletes break the rules."

The bureau chief further stressed that two doctors, one in the capital Nairobi and another in Kapsabet in the Kenyan Rift Valley Province collaborated the claims that runners keen on boosting their performances through blood doping agent EPO (Erythropoietin) patronized their premises.

In both cases, the ARD crew used hidden cameras to record their statements.

"Furthermore, the report quotes an active trainer of Kenyan athletes stating that less talented athletes in their struggle to keep up recede to illegal substances," Schreiber went on to disclose the source of the two doctors.

"The trainer advises ARD crew to check a 'Healthy Shop' in downtown Nairobi. The shop's manager, in front of a hidden camera, proudly presents Kenyan athletes as his customers,” he said.

"His shop offers pills containing illegal substances and on demand, the manager provides the reporter with high quality EPO (blood doping agent) within a day," he went on.

Schreiber pointed out that World body IAAF Medical Director, Gabriel Dolle was quoted on Seppelt's expose saying Kenya lacks technical preconditions for a systematic and effective testing of athletes blood samples while Danish scientist, Bengt Saltin postulated that improvement of the country's runners in Europe between 2008 and 2010 could not have resulted from 'just better training.'

Schreiber called on Kiplagat who had called on ARD to present its evidence to them for further investigations to use numerous clues in the reports to launch a probe into their allegations.

Last Wednesday, Kiplagat lampooned the report saying it was meant to demoralize the country's runners ahead of the London Olympics in the summer.

"This story depicts Kenya as a country that uses to use drugs to enhance performances. I want to assure that 99 percent of our athletes win cleanly," he said at the time. (Xinhua)