Asbel Kiprop, love triangle, doping and fight for career

Kenya's Asbel Kiprop celebrates after winning the final of the men's 1500 metres at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing, China on August 30, 2015. AFP PHOTO | OLIVIER MORIN

What you need to know:

  • Earlier in a post on his social media, the athlete accused the woman of destroying his family and career.

  • A friend of Mr Kiprop said the woman appearing in the video is the wife of a close friend of the champion.

Three-time World 1,500 metres champion Asbel Kiprop was a trending subject on social media Monday when a video clip of him kissing and caressing a woman in his car went viral.

Earlier in a post on his social media, the athlete accused the woman of destroying his family and career.

He later deleted it and posted others of him in a compromising position with her, captioned "Kenya’s Boss Lady; Your next celebrity".

Contacted, Mr Kiprop, a police officer married to another athlete, said: “I have lost everything. What else can I lose?”

Three months ago, the International Association of Athletics Federations said it found an energy-enhancing drug — Erythropoietin — in Mr Kiprop’s urine sample, but the athlete vehemently denied using the banned substance.

He accused the Anti-Doping Agency of interfering with his sample.

CLOSE FRIEND

A friend of Mr Kiprop said the woman appearing in the video is the wife of a close friend of the champion.

An armband on the woman in the video’s bears the name "Nancy".

The Nation could not confirm the claims by Mr Kiprop’s friend.

In the video clip though, the woman’s blouse is unbuttoned. Some music is playing in the background. The two look happy, and the clip ends with them kissing.

“He has been bitter with his friend and constantly accuses him of taking everything from him. He accused the friend of causing him pain, saying a purported love triangle cost him a career,” Kiprop’s friend said.

He added that since the funeral service of Mr Nicholas Bett, another world champion who died in road accident weeks ago, Mr Kiprop has been exhibiting symptoms of depression.

“Kiprop has taken to the bottle. He has been drinking from Sunday. I am not sure if he is the one who posted the videos on Facebook. If he did, he must have been drunk,” the friend, also an athlete, told the Nation.

HAPPY LIFE

On the comments section, Mr Kiprop’s wife said she wished the two a happy life.  The post was later pulled down, but not before followers took screenshots. Since the announcement of the doping results, Mr Kiprop has been making comments on social media, insinuating that he was set up.

He also claimed to have been offered an IAAF ambassadorial role if he admitted to using banned substances.

Responding to Mr Kiprop's claims, the independent Athletics Integrity Unit denied the test results were sabotaged.

"The AIU is satisfied that there has been no mix-up or tampering with the sample. The sample collected from the athlete on November 27, 2017 was the same one analysed and reported as an adverse analytical finding," the unit said in a statement.

Mr Kiprop says in one of his posts: “Those who saw it wise to bring me down by lying had no good plans for the sport or humanity. I might sound less because I know how to be humble but I'm real. I will not revenge even if I'm told who my enemy is."

DOPING

The athlete then accuses the same "enemies" of framing him.

“I will consider the fact that he wants to earn a living by framing me. I will not feed them with dust but I believe in God who will forgive my oppressors. I know what I'm capable of and I know my enemies,” he says.

He expresses concerns about his career, the people he inspired, his children’s education, his parents’ well-being and his health insurance cover.

“In 2015 in Doha, I proposed jail term as an addition to the four-year ban to an athlete found guilty of … doping. Coincidentally, I'm falsely accused of … doping,” he said late last week.

Social media users expressed concerns about Mr Kiprop's behaviour and comments, with some recommending that he goes for counselling.

“We are always too quick to see a cheating man and not a depressed one. Asbel Kiprop is a disturbed young man. He should seek medical attention and counselling,” Dan Owino said.