Elite athletes castigate doping in Adak event
Former world Marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang (left), former two-time world marathon champion Ednah Kiplagat, Olympic 800m champion and the 800m World Record Holder David Rudisha, Elgeyo-Marakwet County Governor Alex Tolgos and Athletics Kenya President, General Jackson Tuwei, athletes and the athletics fraternity during a procession to mark this year’s anti-doping day held in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County on November 9, 2018. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- Dubbed 'Expose Dopers to Save Our Sport' the athletes led by former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang, urged AK and Adak to share evidence on how some of the banned substances were detected from samples submitted by athletes
World 800m record holder David Rudisha said that there is need for a collective effort to eradicate the menace
Former two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat said she is proud to be one of the oldest athletes in the country, who has managed to keep her name and career clean to date
Athletics Kenya (AK) and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) on Friday held anti-doping sessions in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County with elite athletes using the forum to urge upcoming runners to compete clean.
AK President Jack Tuwei and Adak CEO Japhter Rugut urged local athletes to take the training sessions seriously. Tuwei, who took issue with the low turn-out of athletes at the event, said: "We need to always practice clean sports. Those tainting Kenyan athletics by using banned substances will be brought to book."
During the forum, dubbed 'Expose Dopers to Save Our Sport' former world record holder in marathon, Wilson Kipsang, urged AK and ADAK to make public statistics on Kenyan athletes found guilty of doping. ADAK CEO Japhter Rugut urged the athletes to desist from using the banned substances because they are harmful to their bodies.
"Banned substances are harmful to your health and it has both short and long term side effects. We will always improve our services to make sure we serve you as athletes better," said Rugut.
World record holder in 800m David Rudisha said that their is need to incorporate AK and all the coaches to eradicate the menace.
“As athletes, we need to incorporate Athletics Kenya, coaches and managers in fighting such menace in the country because Kenya is respected for producing world beaters,” said the Olympic 800m champion.
Fresh from winning her fourth New York Marathon title, Mary Keitany said doping is a disease that lives with the athletes and there is need to put all resources to fight it.
“Athletics is our career and we need to spread the message about doping. We need to always warn the young upcoming generations on the negative side of using drugs for quick money," said Keitany.
Keitany added that she is almost retiring and she has been running clean for all those years she has participated in the sport.
Former two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat said she is one of the oldest athletes in the country, who has managed to keep her name and career clean to date.
“My career started way back in 1996 and my record has been always clean and straight. Let's not allow ourselves ruin our good name we have made for a very long time," said Kiplagat.
