Athletes gathering in Eldoret in a consultative meeting with Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and Athletics Kenya (AK) told the leaders that they should be celebrated once they win in any race without any doubt.
Led by world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, double Olympic Games 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon, former world javelin champion Julius Yego among others told AIU that they cannot deny that there exists doping among Kenyan athletes but once they win, they should be celebrated just like others.
While contributing to the meeting, the double Olympic Games marathon champion Kipchoge said that a few characters are messing with the sport and should be handled a different case not all of them.
“I have been running for over 20 years now and it is high time that we discuss and talk about this doping menace that is growing in Kenya. But as much as we are having such menace, the AIu should celebrate us when we win. Don’t question the integrity of an athlete before testing. A Kenyan athlete may win but you still say, ‘is he clean’? That notion should be stopped,” said Kipchoge.
Yego said that he is the only athlete still in track and field but all the athletes in team Kenya in 2011 are no longer running.
“Majority of these athletes, especially who were on track, have either quit the sport or are competing in road races. As athletes, let us celebrate and feel free to discuss our own issues. And the world will respect us,” said Yego.
Junior athlete Kelvin Kimutai said that athletes need God to intervene so that they can break away from doping.
Quoting the Bible verses, Kimutai was optimistic that if they can pray and believe that their body is the temple of God, they will not mess.
“At our camp (The Complete Sports Training Camp), we are taught that our bodies are the temple of God that should be well taken care of. If Athletics Kenya can have pastors in their training camps, the fight will go higher,” he said.
AK president Jack Tuwei insisted that some of athletes with questionable characters have exited the stage earlier than expected but those who run clean will stay for long.
“We have seen the trend of athletes in this country who come and shine for a very short time and disappear. That tells you that all is not right. Eliud has been competing for this country for over 20 years and he is consisted, mark my word, consisted,” said Tuwei.