Athletics: ‘Vet foreign athletes’

Parliament wants Athletics Kenya and the Sports Ministry to take an audit of foreign trainers in the country and  establish their credibility and suitability. 

In a petition to the house by Imenti South MP Kathuri Murungi proposes that the Anti Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) tables an audit report of athletes who have tested positive and their achievements since Kenya established anti doping laws. 

The MP observes that there have been allegations that banned substances are used by the athletes in the training camps and is blamed some local and international trainers.  

In the last few months, three-time world 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, world 800m bronze medalist Kipyegon Bett, 2006 Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Lucy Kabuu and Samuel Kalalei tested positive for prohibited substances.

The Imenti South MP is concerned that the criteria for recruiting both local and international trainers is known even as Kenya remains on the watch list of nations by World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the delays in implementing the 2016 Anti Doping Act threatens Kenya’s image on the global scope.

Meanwhile Some of the world’s top mountain runners, hailing from 40 nations, will line up at the 34th edition of the WMRA World Mountain Running Championships as the event goes to Andorra for the first time on Sunday next week.

Defending champions Victor Kiplangat and Lucy Murigi are back to take on the 12km uphill-only course with 1028m of ascent.

The course from the town of Canillo will not be particularly technical and has been described as fast. After a tarmac start, runners will face a mixture of steep sections, forest trail, mountain path, gravel tracks, stony paths and meadow with just over 100m of descent before finishing the race.

[Jacb Ng’etich and IAAF]