Systematic doping of Kenyan runners

[neineinei]

Athletics Kenya (AK) suspended Rosa Associati and Volare Sports for six months pending investigations into doping dealing a potential blow to the careers of famous elite athletes under the Italian and Dutch stables on Monday.

The national federation accused the two firms of being responsible for the surge in doping cases in the country that has seen 36 runners test positive, including the high profile bust of star female runner; thrice Boston and twice Chicago marathon champion, Rita Jeptoo of Rosa who was banned for two years in January for EPO use.

“There have been a lot of reports relating to doping in Kenya and a lot of fingers pointed at people, agents, doctors and pharmacists. We know it’s an intricate issue and critical matter and we want to deal with it.

He added Dutchman Van der Veen has cases in his camp he could not reveal at since they would compromise the investigations with a committee to investigate them that will involve the newly created Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and Criminal Investigations Departement that deals with organised crime involved.

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/sports/2015/04/13/ak-suspends-rosa-volare-for-six-months/

 

[neineinei]

Two appeals filed in the case of Rita Jeptoo
21.04.2015 19:42 Age: 1 day

Lausanne, 21 April 2015 – Two appeals have been filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision issued on 27 January 2015 by the Anti-Doping Commission of Athletics Kenya in the case of Kenyan marathon runner Ms Rita Jeptoo.

The Anti-Doping Commission of Athletics Kenya imposed a two-year period of ineligibility on Ms Jeptoo following an adverse analytical finding for recombinant EPO. In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Jeptoo requests that the challenged decision be set aside and that the two-year suspension be lifted. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) also filed an appeal, requesting that the athlete’s period of ineligibility be increased to 4 years, due to aggravating circumstances which it argues warrant an extended period of ineligibility.

With her appeal, Ms Jeptoo filed an application to stay the execution of the challenged decision. Ms Jeptoo requests this stay in order to be able to resume training and to be able to participate in IAAF competitions during the CAS proceedings.

Both arbitration procedures are currently in progress and are being conducted in accordance with the Code of Sports-related Arbitration. The CAS will not give any further information at this time.

http://www.tas-cas.org/en/general-i...appeals-filed-in-the-case-of-rita-jeptoo.html

When the case was handled by Athletics Kenya we only heard of a positive out-of-competition test from September. Now IAAF says there are aggravating circumstances. AK handled the case in January. There hasn't been any information about an appeal from IAAF until CAS announced it yesterday. Her ban has been announced in the IAAF Newsletter and on the updated list of sanctioned athletes. Usually when there is a CAS appeal they wait until after the case is finished at CAS to announce the ban in the Newsletter and on their doping ban list. It makes one wonder if IAAF has found something more on her after the case was handled by AK?

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re:

Two appeals filed in the case of Rita Jeptoo
21.04.2015 19:42 Age: 1 day

Lausanne, 21 April 2015 – Two appeals have been filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision issued on 27 January 2015 by the Anti-Doping Commission of Athletics Kenya in the case of Kenyan marathon runner Ms Rita Jeptoo.

The Anti-Doping Commission of Athletics Kenya imposed a two-year period of ineligibility on Ms Jeptoo following an adverse analytical finding for recombinant EPO. In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Jeptoo requests that the challenged decision be set aside and that the two-year suspension be lifted. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) also filed an appeal, requesting that the athlete’s period of ineligibility be increased to 4 years, due to aggravating circumstances which it argues warrant an extended period of ineligibility.

With her appeal, Ms Jeptoo filed an application to stay the execution of the challenged decision. Ms Jeptoo requests this stay in order to be able to resume training and to be able to participate in IAAF competitions during the CAS proceedings.

Both arbitration procedures are currently in progress and are being conducted in accordance with the Code of Sports-related Arbitration. The CAS will not give any further information at this time.

http://www.tas-cas.org/en/general-i...appeals-filed-in-the-case-of-rita-jeptoo.html

When the case was handled by Athletics Kenya we only heard of a positive out-of-competition test from September. Now IAAF says there are aggravating circumstances. AK handled the case in January. There hasn't been any information about an appeal from IAAF until CAS announced it yesterday. Her ban has been announced in the IAAF Newsletter and on the updated list of sanctioned athletes. Usually when there is a CAS appeal they wait until after the case is finished at CAS to announce the ban in the Newsletter and on their doping ban list. It makes one wonder if IAAF has found something more on her after the case was handled by AK?

It's hard to know exactly what is going on in Kenya. Isiah Kiplagat has been showing a firm hand: Talking a big game in the fall in winter in wake of positives, expelling foreign doctors early last year, and now expelling some agent groups for doping. Another group is still under investigation by AK.

In the bigger context, though, AK is always trying to consolidate it's ownership over athletes and their revenues. Kenya's relative Olympic failures have often been blamed on taking athletes from their individual coaches to the national team camp leading up to the games. There have been issues with athletes winnings being heavily taxed. All athletes are now required to compete at least twice domestically to be eligible for the World's team. And now, by kicking out the foreign agents, AK becomes the de facto representative.

So, when AK is investigating the source of Jepoo's drugs, are they really going after the drugs, or the middleman?

Presumably, there are some people at IAAF anti-doping with integrity, who did solid investigating. The only way I can see them being able to add two years to her ban would be uncovering a past offense, uncovering a larger network/trafficking issue, or that she was found obstructing the process with false information/obfuscation. People were very quick to cut ties with Rita; I'm surprised to see on what grounds she is trying to appeal, and who is still on her side. Unless it is some sort of Tyson Gay situation "I trusted someone I shouldn't have" which shouldn't have worked with him, and shouldn't work again, or she thinks she provided enough information for a reduced ban.

All told, it's hard to know what the intentions of each party are, what info each side has, and where it is all going to end up.

I'm worried that the bigger this case becomes, the more Armstrong-esque is becomes: in a "we got lance, doping is over" kind of way.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

In other news, Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich's Santa Fe training group teammate had tested positive last February. The ban was only announced March 25th of this year. Meanwhile, the athlete, Joseph Mutinda, won the Masters competition in Hong Kong to the tune of $6000, and possible other prizes ($1,500 in Pittsburgh on a quick search.)

As for Rotich, here is her Froome-esque progression (copied from a post on letsrun):
Went to HS in Japan (same as Wanjiru), came to the US in 2006 after her first marathon (11th place in Nairobi, no time that I can find but slower than the 10th place finisher in 2:48:30.) Joined Bolton's group in 2009 when her PR was 74:40 in the half. . A year later she ran 70:24 and 2:29 (current PR is 69:09, 2:23)

 

[AJ101]

I had a pal who was a very high level distance runner with kenyan origins. In his words it was indeed the managers who were driving this - the runners don't want to take the plunge (at least not at the level he was at) but the pressures from the managers was immense. No Takey No Racey. Pretty simple decision for the runners to make. My pal opted against it and from that moment on was out of the sport.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Someone over at let's run adds 1 + 1 and gets 2. Women's Boston marathon winner has controversial coach with doping history.
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6454381

 

[Lyon]

Those poor Kenyans, fooled by the evil foreigners. As if running barefoot to school and being naturally superior isn't enough to win the big races.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re:

Someone over at let's run adds 1 + 1 and gets 2. Women's Boston marathon winner has controversial coach with doping history.
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6454381

What is with the "waa waaa" and "myob" trolling?