Rudisha worried by increasing doping cases

By CHRIS MUSUMBA

Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha

Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha is concerned by the rise of doping cases in the country.

Rudisha, who is recovering from a knee injury, which he sustained in training in New York in June, said it was wrong for the world to group all Kenyan athletes as cheats.

“It is sad and the faster they tackle this problem the better. It is wrong to think all 42 million Kenyans are cheats. We train hard to achieve what we have on the global stage. But of course there are some athletes who will want a short cut,” said Rudisha who promised to   support the newly formed ministerial task force to investigate doping.

“They (athletes) may be forced to use performance enhancing drugs by people inspired by greed to reap where they have not sown. Sport is a noble profession and should be respected because it brings all types of people together. We should not soil it with use of drugs and banned substances as this kills sports,” he added.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario named Professor Moni Wekesa to lead the 12-member committee, which has a 60-day working period to table a report on  doping allegations that were brought to the fore by German TV.

A year ago, the World Anti-Doping Agency asked Kenya to investigate doping cases after an undercover German television journalist reported that the blood-boosting drug EPO and other doping products were readily available to local athletes.

Wekesa’s team will also investigate the involvement of persons in the administration or the supply of drugs to the athletes and assess the extent of doping and  availability of banned substances. Since January 2012, increased doping tests have netted 17 Kenyan cheats.

“The irony of the matter is that most of those caught are average athletes trying to make a mark in athletics. Most top athletes are clean, they are tested regularly. But it is a wake-up call,” Rudisha said.

“I have broken the 800m record severally without any influence. I have to tell up and coming athletes that they need to be patient, put a lot in training and wait for the result. Whatever the outcome they should be satisfied by it,” said Rudisha.

World 1,500m Champion Asbel Kiprop said the task force must go to the grassroots and get evidence and have the Government implement whatever recommendations they come up with.

“The task force must interact with athletes at the grassroots and know how to control doping. We need to keep the sport clean,” he said. The athletes were speaking during a week-long seminar at the Kenya Police CID pavilion in Nairobi’s South ‘C’ Estate, where they are being trained on managing their careers and keeping safe from doping.  —[email protected]