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The Nairobian

Kipsang’s ‘case’ on doping led to suspension of AK bosses

Sports

By Gilbert Wandera | Dec 02, 2015

The announcement by Athletics Kenya that Wilson Kipsang had missed a doping test contributed to Monday’s provisional suspension of its top officials.

According to a report of the Ethics Commission, Kipsang complained to it on December 23, last year that AK had told local and international media that he had missed a drug test.

“Kipsang complained that the disclosure was made before the period for him to request a review of a decision of the IAAF in respect of a missed test had expired where he had put forward an explanation for the missed test,” the Ethics Commission says in a three-page report.

The commission further points out that a missed test is not a violation of the IAAF’s Anti-Doping Rules.

A combination of three missed tests or failures to file whereabouts information within a 12-month period by an athlete in a Registered Testing Pool amounts to violation.

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After establishing that Kipsang had a case, the commission points out that it appointed Kenyan lawyer Sharad Rao to investigate the alleged breach.

“Following his appointment, Rao requested AK to provide him with a statement as to the circumstances of the disclosure to the media.

AK explained that in making Kipsang’s case public, it was trying to be more transparent after being accused of not taking doping seriously and also being overly secretive on such matters,” adds the statement.

In his findings, Rao concluded that while AK did not intend to defame Kipsang by naming in their press release, they had nonetheless committed a violation of the IAAF anti-doping regulations.

“I find that the press release was issued by Isaac Kamande, the CEO of Athletics Kenya, that it was for and on behalf of AK and for this reason, Kamande and David Okeyo must be held responsible for the same,” the statement quotes Rao.

The commission then decided to caution AK, asked the association to publish this decision on its website as well as apologise to Kipsang personally and publicly. The AK were also fined Sh72,000.