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Kenya athletes allege official demands money to slash doping suspensions

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Two Kenyan athletes who failed doping test at the Beijing World Championships last year have accused Athletics Kenya chief executive Isaac Mwangi of seeking 48,000 U.S. dollars to reduce their suspension period.

The two, ironically members of the Kenya police force Joyce Zakary and Francisca Koki Manunga, did not report the case to the authorities for further investigation. However, they have handed the information to the newly appointed investigation team led by former judge Sharad Rao.

Former AK President Isaiah Kiplagat, Vice President David Okeyo and former AK Treasurer Joseph Kinyua are suspended for abetting doping and soliciting money from athletes whose test have turned positive to cover it up or reduce their suspension period.

But the new accusation against Mwangi takes the matter a notch higher as he is said to have demanded 24,000 U.S. dollars bribe from each athlete to reduce their suspensions.

Sakari and Manunga said Mwangi asked for the payment in a meeting on October 16, 2015, but that they could not raise the money. They were informed of their four-year bans in a Nov 27.

They opted not to reveal the information to the police because they felt they did not have enough evidence to pin him down and also feared repercussions. But they have informed Rao of the same.

Mwangi had promised to hand them two year bans and not the four year suspensions, which they are currently serving.

IAAF has confirmed that the allegations have been passed to their Ethics Commission for further investigation.

The Athletics Kenya chief executive, who has previously vowed that the organisation would take drastic measures in a bid to prevent the continued pattern of doping in Kenyan athletics, has denied the allegations. Endit