Eliud Kipchoge: Crooks are ruining athletics

World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has said that Kenyan athletics has for long been infiltrated by people with no values.

The two-time Olympic marathon champion said some individuals pretend to be coaches, advisors and consultants yet they have their hidden motives.

“These people are inside our sport and we know them. We must expose them or we shall continue witnessing cases of depression and deaths in athletics,” warned Kipchoge.

The legendary athlete said that world 10,000 metres bronze medallist, Agnes Tirop, would not have died if she had the right people around her.

“Tirop would have been alive if she was in the midst of people with the right character. By that I mean, who do you call when you have a problem?...Who do you work with or sleep with?...Who do you train with and walk with?...What do we consume, either information or food?” Asked Kipchoge.

He spoke on Tuesday during the launch of Agnes Tirop Memorial World Cross Country Tour that will be held on February 12, in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.

The race was named in honour of Tirop, who was found murdered in her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet on October 13 last year. Her estranged husband Ibrahim Rotich, who has denied murder charges, is in police custody.

At the same time, Kipchoge also took issue with some of his colleagues who said were spoiling their careers because of wayward behaviour.

“Eighty per cent of athletes are into alcoholism. Let us speak the truth. If we actually want to live in this world well, we must live by our conscience,” he said, adding that a lot needs to be done to get rid of “bad people” among athletes.

The four-time London Marathon champion advised parents to monitor what their children in athletics were doing and not to leaving them to teachers and coaches. alone.

“We are parents, and we need to change the way we are bringing up our children by showing them the right path. It’s unfortunate that the cross country Tour has been named after a brilliant athlete (Agnes Tirop)who was going places but her dreams were cut short but early death,” said Kipchoge.

Prior to Tirop’s death, the country woke up to the death of seasoned long distance runner Hosea Macharinyang on October 9 in West Pokot allegedly over suicide.

This prompted Athletics Kenya to start national consultative forums across the country to dig deeper into the issues affecting athletes.

During the tours in the 14 regions, sensitive information on forced, intimate relationships between female athletes and their handlers came up. Upcoming athletes were the most affected.

Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said that the report will be released next month after relevant authorities probe the allegations.

Tuwei said that the report, which will be presented to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, will have far-reaching implications that will change how athletes are handled.

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