The camp has one fridge, which is community used.
There are sixteen cameras to monitor all activities.
Buying any medicine over the counter in a Chemist is
normal in Kenya.
Once
again, our beloved country Kenya is again on spot of world , not because of winning marathon as usual, but due to claims of doping
by a Germany TV and British newspaper.
This
is the second time a Germany news out lets has claimed that there are elements
of doping within Kenya runners. Doping is wide spread among many athletics, and
I can remember the first time I heard about enhancements drugs was during
Canadian Ben Johnson Olympic win of 100m in 09:.79, but his blood was found to have
stanozolol. Three days later he also accepted of using steroids when he ran his
1987 world record, this prompted IAAF to rescind Ben Johnson world and ban him
from all competitions, he never recovered.
What
followed was a drama where Johnson and his coach Francis complained that they
used doping in order to remain on an equal footing with the other top athletes
on drugs they had to compete against. In testimony before the Dubin inquiry
into drug use, Francis charged that Johnson was only one of many cheaters, and
he just happened to get caught. Later, six of the eight finalists of the
100-meter race tested positive for banned drugs or were implicated in a drug
scandal at some point in their careers:
“This is a problem that is wide
spread, for now the parties involved are well equipped to hide their deeds and
cannot be so reckless as we are told.”
It is our wish to have a clean win in sports;
it really hurts a clean sportsman/woman to be denied her podium win by another
athlete who is being assisted by the use of drugs.
For
Kenya, one thing we should remember is that, Kenya has being doing wonders in
running even when the use of drugs was not known. Kenya first participated at
the Olympic Games in 1956, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer
Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 and 1980 Games.
Kenya
first ever medal at Olympics was won in 1964 in Tokyo Japan, by Wilson Kiprugut
in 800m, where he won a Bronze. Naftali Temu started harvest of Gold medals
in1968 at Mexico Olympics in 10,000m, the great Kipchoge Keino announced his
presence in the same games by winning 1500m Gold, Amos Biwott won 3000m steeple chase , which for no known
reason has been a Kenya event since then, even sometimes winning all three
spots on podium.
Others were, Silver-
Benjamin Kogo 3000m steeplechase, Silver -4X400m Kenya team (Daniel Rudisha, Munyoro
Nyamau, Naftali Bon and Charles Asati), -Silver-Kipchoge Keino 5000m, Bronze -Naftali
Temu 5000m, Bronze-Boxing Phillip Waruinge and once gain Silver for Wilson
Kiprugut in 800m.
“This was way back before doping
was introduced, but Kenya still reigned. Kenyan athletes have won 86 medals in
total, all from boxing and athletic events. Of those, 56 medals come from the
long-distance running events, this shows there is talent in Kenya”.
Kenya
has about 42 communities; from this number one community has all the praises of
winning those medals, Kalenjin. This is the community that has produced all
those world beaters, and note those areas called HIGH ALTITUDE areas have been
their home since time in memorial.
Back
in 1990s, I happened to be in an area called Kerio valley, this is another
areas that produces great runners, Like Tecra Lurope.
I
noted running is a normal things for children in this area, schools were always
far and this meant the kids running every day morning and evening going to
school and back. Within time this children becomes hardened and running is not
a big deal to them, actually during primary schools running, the competitions
are tough and you find those white agents coming to monitor some youngster.
This
proves Kalenjin as a community has talents in athletics and it is God given, if
at all doping was rampant as the claims is by those western media, we could be
having many more communities running.
In
few cases that Kenya athletes have being caught cheating, it has come to lime light
that, the athlete were not aware of those drugs been enhancers, Kisoria
is a good example, he said he was given a medicine to cure his fever by a pharmacist
who had no knowledge of WADA requirements on selling drugs to athletes, bad for
Kisorio, the medicine had enhancers,he was banned from running.
It
is even claimed by some of athletics that, their managers might have administered
those drugs in their foods without runner’s knowledge so has to boost the
managers market and earning from major supposes.
The
Germany journalist claims that injections were found thrown in dustbins and
boxes of EPO were found at the centre of the camp raises adrenaline, how can a camp
of such magnitude be so ignorant and throw such injection anyhow and leave
boxes laying around. Unless someone can prove me wrong, if this was so, this
was a setup which can be by either other managers, other camp owners or other athletes
who fear Kenya team.
The owner of the Camp has said,
there are several CCTV which are monitored 24/7, also the EPO drug is said
must be kept in a fridge, and the camp has just one which is used by all athletes,
and he and his wife monitor all activities and cannot allow such habit to be
done in their camp.
Buying
the drugs over the counters at a chemist as a patient is normal with many
Kenyans, and I believe the chemist owner thought this were patients, if the
journalist did actually found an-athlete buying the drug or injecting him/herself,
then the story would have more weight, but for now, this a war of agents
directed to Kenya athletics who are innocents.
It
is my hope Kenya will sent a clean team that will shame the critics and stand
tall at Rio Games
Kenya Twende Rio....
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