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12 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, May 6, 2018 Kiprop’s doping failure hits Kenya’s cradle of athletics Kenya’s most decorated athletes, could face a four-year ban ELDORET: The residents of Eldoret and Iten, consid- Kenya Executive Committee, defended the local gov- ered Kenya’s home of distance running, are hurting fol- erning body, saying Kenyans must accept that the lowing official confirmation that former Olympic and country has a doping problem. world 1,500 metres champion Asbel Kiprop has tested “Let us accept that there is a problem and agree on positive for the banned blood-booster EPO. how to tackle it. Blame game won’t help. Kenyans are The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an independent still in denial yet this doping thing is festering,” he said. body handling doping matters on behalf of the sport’s “Athletes are not children. They are responsible for governing IAAF, earlier on Friday confirmed media what goes in their bodies. AK only sensitises and edu- reports that the 28-year-old three-time world champi- cates them on doping matters. They take full responsi- on over 1,500m had failed a dope test. bility for their actions,” he added. The case is now with an International Association of Athletics Federations’ disciplinary tribunal and the 28- KIPROP’S ALLEGATIONS year-old Kiprop, one of Kenya’s most decorated ath- Kiprop alleged that testers extorted money from letes, could face a four-year ban. There was a sombre him, an allegation the AIU did not address. He also mood on the Eldoret claimed that the testers streets among the local might have interfered people and in Iten, with his sample. The AIU, Kiprop’s home town, which was set up to where the residents dis- We don’t have combat all forms of cor- cussed the doping situa- ruption and ethical mis- tion in subdued tones. policing in conduct within athletics, “This one has hit us was satisfied there was where it hurts most,” anti-doping no interference with his Moses Kiptanui, a three- sample but conceded time world 3,000m stee- matters that Kiprop had been plechase champion, told given advance notice BEIJING: File photo taken on August 30, 2015 shoo’sKenya’s Asbel Kiprop celebrates after winning the Reuters. that he would be tested. final of the men’s 1500 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the “Bird’s “Marathon runners This contravenes the Nest” National Stadium in Beijing. Asbel Kiprop tested positive for the endurance-boosting drug EPO, failing dope tests was World Anti-Doping the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed on Friday refuting allegations by the Kenyan track star that almost becoming normal. But when it came to the Agency’s guidelines stating that out-of-competition his sample might have been contaminated. — AFP 1,500m, we were shocked. More so, Asbel (Kiprop), tests should be conducted without notice to athletes. whom many youths looked to as a role model. Kiprop also alleged that he was being pressured to “We are mourning. From rural to urban areas, this accept that he doped so that he could be made an African nation, long revered for its distance running who retired from road running due to injury, said the has shaken everybody to the core,” he said. IAAF ambassador against doping, an allegation the AIU pedigree, who have failed doping tests, the most residents of the hamlet on the edge of the picturesque Kiptanui, who runs an Eldoret department store, said rejected. Korir and Kiptanui questioned why Kiprop famous being former three-time Boston Marathon Kerio Valley were commiserating with Kiprop. the lack of tough anti-doping laws coupled with a laxi- had engaged in what they said was a futile attempt to champion, Rita Jeptoo and Jemimah Sumgong, “He is our hero here. When we see his car zooming ty among Athletics Kenya (AK) officials and Kenyans’ smear testers and the IAAF. Olympics marathon gold medallist in Rio de Janeiro in past, we are proud of him and the fame he has brought predilection for manipulating rules will bring the coun- “Why couldn’t he raise the matter when it hap- 2016. The North Rift Valley towns of Eldoret and Iten, our town. This came as a shock to us,” he said. try’s top sport to its knees. pened? Why wait until now to reveal that testers some 350km north-west of the capital Nairobi, rank Social clubs in Iten, mostly frequented by sports- “Officials with vested interests, who are attracted by extorted money from him?” asked Kiptanui. distance running as their biggest foreign exchange people, were not doing much trade on Friday. The perks, and not the love of the game, are ruining the Korir also wondered why Kiprop was revealing so earner. They take so much pride in their athletes that Mindililwo area where Kiprop built a training camp was sport. Even with anti-doping laws in place, we don’t many of the details he should present to the IAAF tri- Eldoret has the name ‘city of champions’, Iten is known like a ghost town. have policing which specialises in anti-doping matters,” bunal. “The process is ongoing. The best thing Kiprop as the ‘home of champions’ while Kapsabet to the Situated on the Iten-Kapsowar road where two oth- said Kiptanui, who blew the whistle on doping prob- should do is wait for the appropriate time to argue his south, birthplace of twice Olympic champion Kipchoge er celebrated athletes, marathon runners Wilson lems in Kenya in 2003. case. This was ill-advised,” he said. Keino, is the ‘source of champions’. Kipsang and Edna Kiplagat, live, the news was on However, Barnaba Korir, a member of the Athletics Kiprop is among almost 50 athletes from the east In Iten, Jonah Kiplagat, a 32-year-old motorcyclist everyone’s lips. —Reuters Toyota MC 86 for team UPGARAGE clinches first seconds to top the podium and better China’s Liang the mark of 4:05:56 that Inez Henriques recorded in London last year. place in SUPER GT 300 series opener Henriques’s time had earned her the betters omen’s TOKYO: Toyota started off the 2018 AUTO- first gold medal to be awarded in the BACS SUPER GT 300 series recently with a event at the world athletics champi- bang thanks to an astounding victory and a 50km walk record onships after the women’s race was a thrilling podium finish at Okayama late addition to the schedule. The International Circuit. UPGARAGE 86 MC, at first attempt Portuguese world champion dropped driven by Yuhki Nakayama and Takashi out of Saturday’s race before the 30km Kobayashi, won the race, while HOPPY 86 MC mark to leave Liang to forge on through co-piloted by Takamitsu Matsui and SHANGHAI: China’s Liang Rui took the drizzle and claim victory four and a ShoTsuboi finished third in the tightly-fought more than a minute off the world record half minutes clear of compatriot Yin opening round of the new season. for the women’s 50km walk in Taicang Hang, who also won silver in London last “We would like to congratulate the teams yesterday, claiming gold at the world year. Australia’s Claire Tallent finished for an excellent start and exceptional per- racewalking team championships in third for bronze in what was also her formance in the opening round of the season,” what was her maiden outing in the first attempt at the distance, which was said Yugo Miyamoto, Chief Representative of endurance event. first listed as a world record event in Middle East & North Africa Representative The 23-year-old, who will win August 2015 as the IAAF looked to Office, Toyota Motor Corporation. “At Toyota, $50,000 once the record is ratified, ensure equal competition opportunities we believe that racing events such as the clocked four hours, four minutes and 35 for men and women. — Reuters AUTOBACS SUPER GT series are an oppor- tunity to not only test the mettle of our per- formance machines and leading technologies, but also to guide the future development of Toyota vehicles, as we continue to make ‘ever- Coleman wants better’ cars. I would like to take this opportu- GT and two competitor teams, the No. 11 and and the No. 25 HOPPY 86 MC, driven by nity to thank our fans for their support and No. 21. Takamitsu Matsui, made its pit stop on lap 30 to be one of the constant encouragement for our racing initia- Things changed when the No. 21 made a chose to make no tire change. When all the pit tives.” swift inside move on the last corner of the lap stops were complete, it was the No. 25 HOP- At the start of the GT300 class race held at 17 to move into the lead. Then on lap 21, the PY 86 MC that led the race. Right behind it best indoors Okayama International Circuit, the No. 88 No. 11 was passed from behind by the No. 31 came the No. 18 UPGARAGE 86 MC, and rival team held the lead, followed by the No. 11 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT. With this, it became about 10 seconds behind them in the third and the No. 21 competitor teams. But tightly- a two-car battle for the lead between the No. position came rival teams, the No. 65 and the and out fought battles ensued as No. 25 HOPPY 86 21 and the No. 31 TOYOTA PRIUS apr GT. No. 7. MC, with ShoTsuboi at the wheel, joined the The two cars raced on nose-to-tail in a tight The battle for the lead was a close nose- TENNESSEE: Christian Coleman isn’t competition for the top four positions, show- contest until the 29th lap when there was a to-tail contest until the 57th lap when planning on letting up on his blistering ing off its superior performance.