Hassan Wario threatens to kick out Athletics Kenya officials over doping scandal
What you need to know:
- Wario, who blamed AK for the doping menace in the country and accused the federation for shielding rogue managers and agents, who are involved in doping, said time was running out for AK officials.
- Wario said that AK refused to cooperate when its officials were summoned by the Anti-Doping Task Force that was constituted by the government and headed by Moni Wekesa.
- The minister said the country won’t harbour agents and managers who have been luring athletes into doping.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario has told Athletics Kenya (AK) top brass to resign over the increasing doping scandals in the country.
At the same time, he urged sponsors to review their partnerships with rogue and corrupt federations as he put Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) on notice alongside registrar of Sports Federation for slow work.
Terming Rita Jeptoo’s doping case as disgraceful; Wario said there was no glamour in cheating and doping and wondered why the top AK officials were still in office.
Wario, who blamed AK for the doping menace in the country and accused the federation for shielding rogue managers and agents, who are involved in doping, said time was running out for AK officials.
“I was in Boston as we cheered Jeptoo to victory but I was gutted when I heard the news that she had doped, “ Wario said. “People like Jeptoo have now joined the other side of disgraced athletes like Marion Jones, and they belong to the hall of shame and not hall of fame.”
COME OUT STRONGLY
Wario, who was speaking during the 2014 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya) Gala on Friday evening said: “We must come out strongly as Kenyans and disassociate ourselves from people who want to spoil our sport by doping. Someone must take the blame since when all this was happening AK was quiet and not talking about it.”
Wario said that AK refused to cooperate when its officials were summoned by the Anti-Doping Task Force that was constituted by the government and headed by Moni Wekesa.
“AK has been quiet and silent in acting when their walls have been collapsing in athletics. We don’t register managers and agents. It’s AK that gives us guidance and we now have two factions there and it’s now a whole comedy of errors,” said Wario adding that he will not allow people who have been in sports federation for 40 years and have refused to give way for meaningful change.
“There is no meaningful change that can be done in doping if AK is divided. “I’m giving them a very short time to put their houses in order for us to move forward.”
The minister said the country won’t harbour agents and managers who have been luring athletes into doping.
HUNT THEM
“We want to know these people in Iten mishandling our athletes. Let them know we are coming down on them like a heavy hammer,” warned Wario.
Wario noted that affairs at FKF have been a one man affair.
“Our patience in 2015 is overdue and we are going to sort you out,” said Wario adding that the happenings at KRU must be investigated as Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore warned that they will end partnership with federations that don’t adhere to ethics of sports.
“Good partnership is more that taking gold. It’s about playing within the spirit of rules. Sportsmen act ethically by demonstrating fairness, integrity, respect and responsibility,” said Collymore. We shall end partnership with federations that are not 100 per cent ethical.”
