Adak: Rosa have not engaged us

What you need to know:

  • Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) has denied being approached by athletes management company Rosa Associati to help them investigate several top Kenyan female marathoners over doping.
  • Adak chief executive officer Japhter Rugut said that the only doping case that is still pending with them awaiting “B” sample test is that of Olympic marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong, who tested positive for the banned blood-booster Erythropoietin (EPO) out of competition in February

Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) has denied being approached by athletes management company Rosa Associati to help them investigate several top Kenyan female marathoners over doping.

Adak chief executive officer Japhter Rugut said that the only doping case that is still pending with them awaiting “B” sample test is that of Olympic marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong, who tested positive for the banned blood-booster Erythropoietin (EPO) out of competition in February

Athletics Kenya (AK), who were to release a statement over the same issue on Friday deferred it to Monday with its chief executive officer Sarah Kamau indicating that they needed to consult further.

Rosa Assiociati director Federico Rosa disclosed on Thursday that besides Sumgong, they are also investigating her training partners Paris Marathon champion Purity Rionoripo, Tokyo Marathon winner Sarah Chepchirchir and Visiline Jepkesho, who won the Paris Marathon last year.

Federico said they had sought the assistance of the government through Adak in investigations, but failed to state whether the suspended athletes had also turned in positive tests.

Rugut took issue with Rosa Associati for its drastic steps to suspend the athletes saying that doping was an individual responsibility.

“That information is not accurate. We have had no contact at all with Rosa, neither has he engaged us on this,” said Rugut. He added that Adak will investigate the issue and particularly why the company has  disengaged the other athletes before any doping cases were reported against them.

“What does he know that we don’t know? What are the details and contract that he had with the athletes?” posed Rugut. “If we are to investigate the issue, we will do it independently to avoid conflict of interest.”

Rugut explained that the suspensions from his stable could affect the reputation of the athletes.