Sh3.5m taken away

By CHRIS MUSUMBA

Rose Jepkemboi Chesire has lost Sh3.5 million in prize money after she was slapped with a one-year ban having failed a mandatory dope test, taken immediately after winning the Macau International Galaxy Marathon in China last year.

Athletics Kenya (AK) secretary general David Okeyo confirmed that Chesire, 27, will be in the cold until January 19 next year after she failed in her defence when summoned before the federation medical commission chaired by Maurice Siminyu.

"I can confirm that we have banned Rose Chesire for one year. The ban started on January 19 this year and ends on the same date next year," said Okeyo.

The news is a major blow to the efforts being done by AK to sensitise athletes against use of banned drugs or performance enhancements to boost their functioning in international competition.

Chesire joins a lean list of athletes from Kenya who have been banned for failing drug test.

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Cocktail of drugs

In 2008, AK banned sprinter Elizabeth Muthoka after she had taken a cocktail of drugs to cure her low haemoglobin (red blood cells) count but they contained the banned substance Nandrolone.

In the process, she also lost the national women’s 400m national record of 50.82 seconds ran at the Kenyan Olympics trials in Nairobi.

Other Kenyans who have been banned for doping include road racer, Pamela Chepchumba (2003), Lydia Cheromei (Clomiphene) in 2006 and Susan Chepkemei (Salbutamol) 2007.

Seek clearance

With almost a 100 per cent domination of road races and marathon in the world, Kenyans are the most tested athletes in the world both in and out of competition. For over two decades only five have been found guilty, all for their own ignorance.

"Chesire knew what drugs she took but her mistake was she never declared all of them. Any athlete who falls sick and is advised by the doctors to take any drug that is banned must seek clearance from AK and we in turn ask IAAF to issue a therapist exemption certificate in the same effect.

"This will then be presented to the athlete and will have to show it whenever they compete in any event either at home or abroad," said Okeyo.

Chesire was a winner of the Standard Chartered Nairobi International Marathon in 2007, which catapulted her to the world scene.

She won last year’s Macau International Galaxy Marathon in China on December 5. It is in Macau that she failed the dope test.

Okeyo confirmed that Chesire did not declare all the drugs she had taken prior to the race in Macau and thus got the punishment for ignorance and will have to serve it fully. He warned any other athlete to take doping issue serious and be on the lookout not to fall in the trap ahead of the London Olympic Games.

"We called her before the AK medical committee and she was able to defend herself as the regulations demands. She pleaded ignorant to having used some banned drugs," said Okeyo.