A new stone in the pond of Kenyan sport. On Tuesday, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) Chairman David Howman had some very harsh words for the East African country whose athletes have shone for years in the substantive disciplines. “It is clear that doping in Kenya is becoming better organized and these cases highlight the involvement of people with medical experience,” he said in a statement.
“It is a serious threat to our sport. The IAU has been mandated to work with the Kenyan government, its athletics federation and its anti-doping agency to combat this crisis. We will do everything we can to identify the source of this doping,” he adds.
This communication follows the recent eight-year suspension of runner Eglay Nalyanya, found guilty of using a doping product. This conviction came a few weeks after that of Betty Wilson Lempus, suspended for five years for similar reasons.
“A three-member jury noted similarities in explanations and evidence. Nalyanya and Lempus told the IAU that they had received intramuscular injections in the same hospital and they provided falsified medical documents to support their claims,” writes the IAU, which collaborated with Adak, the Kenya anti-doping agency.
“In both cases, the investigation also discovered that the doctors quoted were fictitious and that no athlete had received an injection even though they were in hospital that day. It would seem that the elite of Kenyan athletes benefit from the help of one or more people, including someone with significant medical knowledge. It is not limited to a single case,” the IAU continues, quoting the expert panel.