Sports

Athletics Integrity Unit accuses Kenyan medical experts of systematic doping cover-up

Published

2 years ago

April 5, 2023

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an arm of the World Athletic Association which oversees anti-doping programme for international athletics, has accused Kenyan medical experts of assisting the country’s athletes in covering up criminal systematic doping offences.

The AIU, in a report on Tuesday, said it reached the conclusion after two athletes used similar stories to explain medical irregularities.

The athletes, Eglay Nafuna Nalyanya and Betty Lempus, had allegedly produced the same forged paperwork to support their claim to have had an intramuscular injection at the same hospital.

The forged report has, however, alerted the anti-doping disciplinary tribunal convened by the AIU to conclude that there is a “medically-savvy operation helping athletes to try and cover up doping offences” after similarities were found in at least two recent tampering cases involving Kenyan athletes.

“The suspicion arose in the wake of the latest sanction on a Kenyan athlete, the 26-year-old Eglay Nafuna Nalyanya, banned by the AIU for eight years for three breaches of the World Athletics anti-doping rules.

“The behaviour amounts to criminal conduct involving frauds,” the AIU report said.

It added that Nalyanya, a middle-distance runner who took eighth position in the 800 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, was found guilty of presence of a prohibited substance, use of a prohibited substance, and tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control.

“While assessing the facts of Nalyanya’s case, the three-member panel noticed a similar pattern of explanation and evidence by the athlete to her compatriot Betty Lempus.

“The 31-year-old Lempus, who had a personal best for the marathon of 2 hours 23 min 40 sec, was banned for five years in January for two anti-doping rule violations.

“Both Nalyanya and Lempus told the AIU that they had received intramuscular injections while being treated at the same Kenyan hospital and produced medical documents to support their claims.

“In both instances, the AIU discovered that the documents were false, the doctors were invented, and that neither athlete had received the injection.

“It is obvious from the almost identical wording of parts of the letter from the supposed doctor, Dr Philip Murey, in the Lempus case that it was written by the same individual as the equivalent letter in the present case.

“The Lempus letter was written a month before the letter from Dr Davis Lukorito Wanambisi in the present case. The pattern of behaviour is remarkably similar in both cases.

“There is no possibility in our view that the athlete in the present case had the sophistication or medical knowledge either to draft the letter from Dr Davis Lukorito Wanambisi nor the email of 24 March 2022, nor indeed to set up the scheme employed in the present case.

“Ultimately, the panel reached the conclusion that elite Kenyan athletes are being assisted by someone with considerable medical knowledge to commit what amounts to criminal conduct involving frauds on the AIU.

“We regard this conduct as a matter of the greatest possible concern and urge the AIU to take all possible steps to establish how this is occurring,” the AIU report said.

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Sports

South Africa FA President Danny Jordaan detained. Here’s why

Published

2 days ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Danny Jordaan, the president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), was taken into custody on Wednesday on suspicion of misusing the organization’s funds for personal gain.

On Tuesday, Jordaan, who played a key role in securing South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup, attempted to have his impending arrest stopped by a court. The case is postponed until Dec. 5.

The matter has been postponed until December 5. Jordaan, who was given 20,000 rand ($1,110) bail, says he has done nothing wrong.

The police raid on the SAFA headquarters in March is what led to the arrest.

Between 2014 and 2018, “the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his gain, including hiring a private security company for his protection and a public relations company, without authorisation from the SAFA board,” according to a police spokesperson at the time.

Jordaan, 73, appeared in Palm Ridge magistrates court together with his co-accused, SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo, and businessman Trevor Neethling, who was also given bail.

They have been advised not to communicate with any of the 19 possible state witnesses on the list who may testify against them.

Sports

Ghanaians in tears as Black Stars fail to make AFCON 2025y

Published

3 days ago

November 16, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghanaians in tears as Black Stars fail to make AFCON 202

Football lovers in Ghana have been thrown into sadness following the failure of their national team, the Black Stars, to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, the first time in 20 years.

The four-time African champions missed out on the continental soccer fiesta after a lackluster 1-1 draw against Angola on Friday night.

The Black Stars needed to win away in Luanda to take their qualification bid to the final round of Group F fixtures and looked on course when captain Jordan Ayew opened scoring for the visitors on 18 minutes, 6 only for Ambrosini ‘Zini’ Salvador to equalise after 64 minutes for already-qualified Group F winners Angola.

The draw left Ghana bottom of the table with three points, four adrift of Sudan in the second qualifying place, with one round of match left.

In other matches played on Friday, minnows Comoros defied all odds to qualify for the tournament scheduled for Morocco next year alongside Mali, Zambia and Zimbabwe, bringing the number of countries that have so far qualified to 19, with five places up for grabs to complete the 24-team finalsyy.

Kamory Doumbia’s first-half goal gave Mali a 1-0 win in Mozambique, with the game going ahead in Maputo despite street protests following last month’s disputed presidential election to book their spot in Morocco.

Zambia moved to the summit of Group G after registering a surprise 1-0 home victory over reigning continental champions Ivory Coast, although the Elephants were already through before kick-off with the result ending Sierra Leone’s hopes of qualification.

Comoros will return to the finals after Myziane Maolida’s 90th-minute winner clinched a 2-1 victory away against The Gambia and eliminated the Scorpions in Group A.

Gambia needed at least a point to remain in the hunt and led in the 18th minute through Alassana Jatta but Rafiki Said quickly equalised for the islanders.

Comoros, who reached the last 16 on its debut at the 2021 finals but missed out on the 2023 edition, join Tunisia in progressing from Group A.

Zimbabwe needed just a point from their home game against Kenya to secure a top-two spot in Group J, and saw out a 1-1 draw against the Harambee Stars to ensure they progress alongside Cameroon.

Elsewhere, Botswana missed the opportunity to book just their second appearance at the Nations Cup after drawing 1-1 at home against Mauritania in Group C while Cape Verde were eliminated after a 1-1 stalemate at home against already-qualified Egypt.

Botswana will now need a point from their trip to Egypt on Tuesday to qualify, while Mauritania will finish second in the group if they win at home against Cape Verde and the Zebras are beaten in Cairo.

Meanwhile, South Africa defeated Uganda 2-0 in Group K and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz scored twice as tournament hosts Morocco came from behind to win 5-1 against Gabon in Group B as all four teams were already assured of progress before kick-off.

Teams that already qualified for AFCON 2025:

Morocco (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.