Ethiopian world record holder Kenenisa reacts to new IAAF proposal

Ethiopian distance runner and world record holder, Kenenisa Bekele, opposed the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) new proposal that would invalidate all records set before 2005.

The IAAF, the world governing body, has stored blood and urine samples only since 2005, with any records set prior that year in danger of being wiped out.

According to the newly proposed rule, Kenenisa's 5,000 meter time of 12:37.35 set in 2004 and 10,000 meter time of 26:17.53 set in 2005 are at risk of being wiped out.

Aware of the newly proposed criteria, in which all records set before the year 2005 would be rendered obsolete, Kenenisa, speaking to Fana Broadcasting Corporate, accused that the proposal by the IAAF that outlines radical new criteria for determining official records "is inappropriate".

According to Kenenisa, "the problem comes from IAAF's weakness." He adding that the condition "Is not the athletes' fault." The world record holder further indicated that he is ready to stand against the proposal.

Alongside the Ethiopian distance great is also the two-time Olympic gold medalist Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj, world record holder in the 1,500 meters, who set the record before the year 2005 with the time of 3 minute 26.00 seconds.

Paula Radcliffe, British marathon world record holder who broke the women's marathon record in 2003, has also previously reacted to the new proposal, saying that the proposal was "disrespectful to those athletes whose marks are iconic in history." Endit