Kenya Ban imminent

demfad

I heard a rumour from a local source with knowledge of Kenya, that International athletics authorities are about to move against Kenya (tomorrow and a multi year ban) and perhaps even against the big K himself.

We wont have to wait long to find out.

Until then, do people feel a blanket ban on Kenya is now warranted to sort drug misuse in marathon running Internationally and to stop big corporations like Nike from profiting while turning a blind eye?

demfad

Wada and World athletics to announce. Rumour is 2-3 years blanket Kenya, and Kipchoge busted.

BeepBeep67

I was reading https://athletics.co.ke/kenya-might-be-banned-tomorrow-by-world-athletics/ earlier this morning, and a lot of kite flying in advance of an official sanction looks to be on the cards.

average_runner

Kipchoge will escape the ban, along with the top kenya women

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119916665#Comment_119916665

Have you heard something?

I heard not only wouldn't he escape but he may face a personal ban

Itziger

And where did you hear that?

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917549#Comment_119917549

Stazza told me. He runs the camp there and knows a lot of the coaches and heads on the scene on the ground over there. That's what he is hearing. We'll find out soon enough. I hope Kipchoge is caught and banned...and Nike suffer as an example. That could make a difference.

I feel sorry for the lesser level Kenyan athletes who might lose their shot for a better life over this though. I was over there, it's a poor place, worse if youve nothing.

py

On BBC now too: https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/63742785

Bananaleaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917758#Comment_119917758

Are you saying that Stazza told you that Kipchoge is doping?

Sandwell

The idea of Nike suffering, while attractive, is naive I think. We've seen this before: Salazar, Armstrong, probably several more scandals that I'm forgetting. They'll drop Kipchoge like a stone if he's sanctioned and cut their ties with that training group. They'll move on to somewhere else and we'll all continue to buy their expensive shoes that we convince ourselves give us that bit of an edge in chasing our goals.

It'll be the clean Kenyan athletes and the upcoming generation who suffer if there's a blanket ban. I've been in Iten myself, a good few years ago now, and when you see the volume of super talented runners there, living hand to mouth in the hope of getting an opportunity to race in Europe, it's not hard to understand why they'd resort to doping to get an edge over the competition. As usual, it's the athletes that will suffer. The coaches, agents and handlers that facilitate the doping will slink off into the background unscathed with their money made. Some of them will probably head to Uganda or Ethiopia to ply their trade.

I know I sound cynical and pessimistic, and I can fully undertand the reasons why WADA etc would want to make an example of Kenya in this case, but I really don't see this seriously hurting anyone other than the younger generation of Kenyan athletes, clean or otherwise. Kipchoge and his generation are already set up for life.

babacool

No point in banning anyone. Why not? Look at other sports or even stay within athletics. The so called “clean generation” is faster and better than the “not clean generation”.

sure, all thanks to better training facilities 😁.

Let’s just let them do what they do. I enjoy watching kipchoge run. Clean or not clean, super shoe or not super shoe. His stride is brilliant to watch and I hope no one will take that away from us!

average_runner

Kipchoge is a massive brand to the marathon like bolt was to the 100m.

Kipchoge getting banned would be a massive own goal as general public haven't a clue about any other marathon male runners

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918203#Comment_119918203

If he thinks Kipchoge is likely to be banned then I would be making that assumption.

If you look at the link sent yesterday. The bolded section at the end points to a running group/camp and this is likely to be that of Patrick Sang (Kipchoge's coach). So I know where he is coming from, that's a logical conclusion.

Asics is Canova, Adidas is Br Colm, Adidas is some French guy but all are reputedly clean. That leaves Sang I think whose athletes may not have that reputation.

I believe there was a lot of investigating done pre Covid and this might be the (delayed) fruit of that.

"Our source a senior official at Athletics Kenya, on condition of anonymity request told Athletics.co.ke, “From where I seat and the information am getting directly from AIU top officials, it’s a done case.” We are at their mercies as from now and we should prepare ourselves for the worse which is being suspended for a minimum of two years or a maximum of three years, so that we can put our house in order,” he said.

The senior official said that there are many top elite athletes that AIU is on their radar and soon they will be unmasked and this will be the end of their running careers."

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918310#Comment_119918310

I agree with you re how the Kenyan youngsters will suffer and how this will impact particularly Iten.

These are the blunt instruments that are available now. Russia's ban may have had a slightly more geo-political aspect, but there is now no wriggle room for dealing with Kenya.

rom

Meeting has been pushed to Tuesday it seems.

gypsy79

I know for a fact that Adidas go out of their way to try not sign doping athletes

Same cannot be said for their main competitor to the point when I see an athlete wearing a swoosh I assume they are doping

rovers_runner

Where was it Mo and Paula used to hide, sorry train.....

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919530#Comment_119919530

Adidas had Novak from the tennis world on their books for a long time!!!!!!!!

Also had Tyson Gay

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919463#Comment_119919463

Yes. They are going to belatedly through $ at this, but it does seem this is a done deal.

https://twitter.com/AbabuNamwamba/status/1596075167591305221

gypsy79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919675#Comment_119919675

I was around when Tyson got busted. They hadnt a fooking clue. I was speaking from athletics POV as that is all i had view of

phelimcas

Shows up the problems of a weak testing regime and the rewards for success in taking the risk.

Have seen reports that there are also issues in Ethiopia with PEDs. Not sure if it's at the same scale.

Athletics seems to me to be one of the few sports that has an effective testing regime. Would not be surprised if PEDs are rife in football but FIFA don't address it. Too much money in the game.

Same with professional boxing and US professional sports.

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918310#Comment_119918310

Actually Russia was banned because the doping was "systematic". Kenya's is widespread not systematic (pointed out in Ian O'Riordan's article).

Therefore the most effective course of action might be to proceed with the high profile personal bans. Give Kenyan athletics a time window to prove demonstrable progress in order to save the grass routes there.

Russia will spin it as discriminatory to them, but who cares to be honest.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919530#Comment_119919530

Are Rugby players and teams not athletes then?

gypsy79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119925344#Comment_119925344

Its an athletics forum and I only know the person who handles athletes for Adidas

Bananaleaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919276#Comment_119919276

I read the article. I think it is quite bold of Stazza to be putting himself out there as the person to name specific athletes. I'm not saying I think he is wrong, but I hope he is.

Time will tell. Maybe he's right. We were supposed to find out Friday. Now it's gonna be Tuesday. Let's see if that happens.

Would be the first to say that I can be naive, but I will feel pretty disappointed if Kipchoge is revealed to be a doper. I wouldn't be the first I know, but I'll hold out hope until I'm reading it in black and white in a published article.

6run28

I would be (probably naively too) surprised and saddened if Kipchoge was doping.

Cartman78

Yep...if the likes of Bolt and Kipchoge were exposed as dopers then it would be very damaging for the credibility of the sport as a whole.

Will be interesting to see how it pans out either way....lots of commercial and political elements in the mix

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119926497#Comment_119926497

AFAIK Stazza hasn't himself accused any specific athletes and put himself out there or anywhere else not in conversation with me at least. He did accurately relay the rumour that was on the ground out there both about the blanket ban and about specific camps which I relayed to kick this thread off. You asked me directly if Stazza had told me Kipchoge was doping. I didn't answer that direct question (the answer is NO). I assumed you were interested in whether Stazza (as someone with contacts over there) thought Kipchoge was suspicious and I naively perhaps answered that one. I guess let's both be fair and not put words in his mouth that he didn't utter.

(Incidently, rumours still are that athletes from that camp will be hit (not necessarily on Tuesday) , the delay before the meeting may not make a difference there)

Anyway, here is something he tweeted and thus something we can fairly attribute to Stazza. Might be an interesting thread as it develops:

https://twitter.com/Stazza4/status/1596114229064515588?s=20&t=642HuTEQeRgENOcvbmkLIw

Ceepo

Was there any update on this?

Bluesquare

I will be devastated if kipchoge busted . I only watch marathons when he’s competing . Like what about no human Is limited and all that . Surely not 😭

Ceepo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119940238#Comment_119940238

There is a chance that all that glitters is gold