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

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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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Paris Olympics: Nigeria’s D’Tigress in ‘group of death’, to battle Australia, France, Canada

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Nigeria’s women national basketball team, D’Tigress, have been drawn in what many term the group of death after they were paired alongside Australia, France and Canada for this year’s Olympic Games coming up in Paris, France, in July.

The coach Rena Wakama tutored team will take on Australia in their opening Group B game at the competition on Monday, July 29, according to the fixture schedule released on Thursday by the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA).

The African champions will face the host France on August 1 before facing Canada on August 4.

D’Tigress are heading for their third appearance at the Olympic Games after making its debut at the games in Athens 2004, before a second appearance at Tokyo 2020.

In their two previous outings at the games D’Tigress failed to go beyond the group stages after losing all group matches but there are hopes that the current team could spring surprises owing to the pool of talents in the team and the cohesion they have managed to build.

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Tragedy as coach killed, players injured in Sierra Leone club bus crash

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One of the coaches of Sierra Leonean club, Port Authority FC, Lamine Bangoura, a former international, has been confirmed killed while several players sustained different degrees of injuries after the team bus was involved in an accident on Tuesday night when going for a football game.

According to a statement from the club management, the players and officials of the top flight clubside are still reeling from the effect of the accident.

A local media which reported on the devastating accident on Wednesday said:

“The Sierra Leonean football is in mourning. On Tuesday evening, the Port Authority FC bus was involved in an accident. Several first team players are injured and in critical condition after this tragedy.

“The worst was the death of the Port Authority FC coach, Lamine Bangoura, who did not survive after receiving a serious blow during the accident.

“The team was en route to Kenema for a crucial match against Kahunla Rangers when tragedy struck, leaving several members in critical condition.

“The accident, which occurred at Konta Line, has claimed the life of the former Sierra Leone international and team coach, Lamine Bangura.

“Lamine Bangura was a highly revered figure in Sierra Leonean football and leaves behind a legacy that transcends the sport.

“Despite the best efforts of medical personnel at Masiaka Hospital, Bangura succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a void in Sierra Leonean football.”

The Sierra Leone Premier League Board, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed deep regret and sent condolences to the team.

“While details of the incident are still emerging, it has been confirmed that there were injuries sustained by individuals involved in the accident.

“Our immediate priority is the well-being and recovery of those affected by this unfortunate event,” the statement said.

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