Top athletics agent remanded in probe over doping cases

Athletics agent Federico Rosa was on Wednesday remanded in police custody as investigations on doping allegations continue.

Rosa, a director of athletics management firm Rosa and Associati, could be the first international agent to be charged under Kenyan anti-doping laws.

At the same time, athletics coach Claudio Berardelli has been detained for five days to enable the Anti-Narcotics Unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to conclude investigations.

On Tuesday, Rosa and his father Gabriele Rosa were quizzed at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters in Nairobi. Gabriele was later released.

The Italian national who was arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Unit last Friday, appeared before Kibera Principal Magistrate, Bernard Ochoi and is facing offences related to doping. The prosecution said he is being suspected of conspiracy to cause injury to the reputation and profession of athletes and preventing some of them from their lawful exercise of their profession by doping.

“He is being investigated for the offence of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour, by causing injury to the reputation of some athletes and preventing them from participating in races,” Joseph Indeke, a detective, stated in an affidavit.

The defence asked the court to release Rosa on bond but the Magistrate turned down the request, saying Police have the right to carry out conclusive investigation. Indeke, a chief inspector of police, told the court the three days applied for would enable investigators travel to Rosa and Associati camps in Eldoret, Iten and Nakuru.

“We want to record statements from witnesses, some are out to the country. We expect more arrests,” he said. Indeke said if released on bail, Federico would interfere with ongoing investigations.

Berardelli, former coach of disgraced three-time Boston Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo, was arrested on Tuesday night over the same case. Ochoi directed that the suspect be remanded at Gigiri Police Station until Friday.

“I have considered the nature of charges that the police intend to prefer against the suspect. I have also considered the explanation given that some of these witnesses are outside Nairobi, therefore I find the application reasonable and the investigating officer deserves time as sought,” the Magistrate directed.

“In order to safeguard the rights of the suspect who is presumed not guilty and considering the statement from the investigating officer that the investigations have already began, I direct that the suspect be remanded until Friday this week when he will appear before court,” Ochoi ruled.

Federico and his father Gabrielle were grilled by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for two days after recording statements last Thursday in Eldoret when the two were attending Kenya’s Olympic Trials at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium. A search was conducted in their hotel rooms and their passports were confiscated, but nothing was found.

Indeke said they were ordered to present themselves to the DCI headquarters last Monday for further interrogation where Police released Gabrielle and detained Federico because he is a director of the Eldoret-based company.

The company is registered in Italy and handles top Kenyan athletes, including three-time World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, 2015 New York City Marathon champion Stanley Biwott and reigning London Marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong.

At the same time, top athletes managed by Rosa and Associati yesterday rallied behind their management team.

Speaking in Eldoret on Wednesday, among them Kiprop, Sumgong and Biwott, maintained that they do not condone doping noting that they were solidly behind Kenya’s anti-doping campaign. They however faulted the arrest of Federico Rosa.