Wrangles, doping saga cast shadow on Kenyan Athletics

Is athletics in Kenya on the verge of a catastrophic collapse locally and internationally?

This may sound alarmist, but the damaging power struggles within Athletics Kenya (AK) are not only threatening to tear the ruling body apart, but are also looking to isolate the country internationally.

The IAAF is not amused and will sanction AK in some way, along with kicking Kenya out of the running for hosting the World Youth Athletics Championship, if they do not get their ducks in a row.

President Isaiah Kiplagat has been under siege; battling fires on all fronts as AK branch chairmen seek to forcibly remove him from office.

Kiplagat and company have been in power for too long according to critics within athletics circles, and these last few months have seen the pressure cooker explode with athletes themselves set to pay the price for the battle at Riadha House.

This comes at the worst time possible for Kenyan sport, with Rita Jeptoo’s positive test throwing the reputation of Kenyan athletes up in the air.

Jeptoo is waiting for her B sample and is co-operating with the authorities as she struggles to clear her name.

The problem is that the A sample contained the blood boosting Erythropoietin (EPO), and according to history it’s almost certain that the B sample will be positive too.

HOUR OF NEED

Her management has abandoned the double Boston and Chicago Marathons champion at her hour of need, and here’s where the problem lies: why hasn’t the whip been cracked on errant agents and coaches?

It has been widely speculated that some agents have colluded with AK officials, and this has tied the hands of the association in banning agents deemed to be ‘rogue’.

This greed will not only irreversibly tarnish athletics locally, but also internationally too, with sporting authorities the world over viewing Kenyan athletes with suspicion.

AK needs to get its house in order fast to arrest not only the internal power struggles, but also the doping issues engulfing the sport locally.

KPL’S THRILLING CONCLUSION

The Kenya Premier League (KPL) reaches a thrilling climax this weekend. It’s been highly competitive on the pitch, featuring several highs and lows.

Defending champions Gor Mahia will be hoping to win their fourteenth title, which will put them on top of the all time list of league winners.

Sofapaka are one point behind K’Ogalo, and are looking to win their second title, their first being in 2009. That was their maiden season in the top flight, a feat that may never be repeated.

So it comes down to one game in Kisumu and one in Ruaraka for the title, Gor/Ushuru FC and Tusker/Sofapaka.

In the Top 8 this is the situation: Gor and Sofapaka take the top two; Tusker finish third; fourth is between Ulinzi and Chemelil, with Chemelil playing Thika while Ulinzi play Sony at Awendo.

Sixth and seventh is between AFC Leopards and Sony, who’re yet to play their disputed match from earlier this season.

Eighth is between three teams: Thika, Muhoroni and Mathare United. So that means eleven teams fighting for the coveted Top 8. Last season forty points was enough to guarantee a spot, not so this time.

Nakuru All Stars are on their way down after just one season in the KPL, while City Stars will join them after being in the top flight since the early 2000s.

City Stars at one time finished third and represented Kenya in the Caf Cup, so this is a sad demise for a team that used to have K’Ogalo star Dan SSerenkuma in their ranks.

KCB should survive barely after putting in a lot of work in the second half of the season, coach Rishadi Shedu having done a brilliant job since he joined.

The two disappointing teams this season were Tusker and Bandari.

Tusker have probably the best squad in the league with huge depth, and most pundits thought they would win the league when they raced off at the beginning of the season.

However, when Gor were in Rwanda for the Cecafa Kegame Cup, that proved the turning point for Tusker whose season fell apart thereafter.

In the meantime, Bandari finished fifth last season and this season were lucky to survive following a classic second half collapse.

In the promotions, confusion reigns in true FKF fashion, as no one knows how the National Super League will end.

In all fairness Posta Rangers should be patting themselves on the back as winners of Zone A. Zone B has fireworks, with points being deducted and added.

Shabana are in front controversially, which has left other teams up in arms with Zoo, Kakamega, and Agrochemicals feeling aggrieved.

The talent in the second tier is there, and if it’s streamlined then the championship can attract sponsorship.

Regionally the forthcoming Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup is up in the air, with the tournament shifting to either Sudan, Burundi or Tanzania after Ethiopia pulled out. Meanwhile Harambee Stars will likely play Iran in a friendly at the international Fifa week next weekend.

NAIROBI MISSES OUT

It was sad but not unexpected to hear that Kenya lost the chance to host an IRB leg next season. Insecurity and the Ebola scare partly contributed to the tournament not coming to Nairobi – although it could be argued that logistically the city is not up to the standard of the other venues chosen (Vancouver, Singapore and Paris).

Kenya Rugby Union chair Mwangi Muthee said this week that work would soon start on a rugby specific stadium.

However we’ve heard this before, so let’s see the land and groundbreaking ceremony so we can actually see this dream finally come to fruition.

In the meantime, the best of luck to the teams competing in the Kenya Cup and Eric Shirley Shield this weekend, as the fifteens season gets underway.

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