Sports

Kenya’s former junior world 800m champion Kipyegon Bett dies aged 26

Published

3 months ago

October 7, 2024

Former Kenyan World under-20 800m athletics champion, Kipyegon Bett, has reportedly died at the age of 26 following an illness.

Bett was an 800m specialist who won the junior world title in 2016 and went on to claim bronze at the senior World Championships in London the following year.

But his career was shunted in 2018 when he was handed a four-year doping ban and struggled to make an impact on his return but could not hit his previous form.

His sister, Purity Kirui, who confirmed his demise to BBC Sport Africa, said he had been sick for a month.

“He had been sick, complaining of stomach pains for about a month. The doctors said he had a liver problem and had been in and out of hospital.

“Last week we took him to hospital after he started vomiting blood and he was admitted. I went to see him on Sunday morning and he told me he was in pain.

“He told our dad, who is a pastor, to pray for him because he didn’t feel he would survive and after 12 noon he died. We tried everything to save him, but he left us. It’s very painful.”

Athletics Kenya official, Barnaba Korir, who also spoke on the death of the talented Bett, described him as one of the most talented half-milers in the world and a polite, easy-going and extremely amiable athlete.

Local media said Bett was one of Kenya’s high-profile athletes but his career was derailed when he was sanctioned for anti-doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit after he refused to submit a sample and he subsequently tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO).

His sister, a 3,000m steeplechase runner who won Commonwealth gold in 2014, said being absent from the track had an adverse effect on Bett, who was 20 at the time of his ban.

“When Kipyegon was banned he started drinking a lot, wouldn’t eat well and suffered depression,” she said.

“We tried to help him stop drinking, but whenever we wanted to take him to rehab he would disappear from home for days.
I tried to get him back into athletics when his ban ended by getting him running kit and shoes.

“Before his death we had a plan to try one more time to take him to a rehabilitation centre in Kisumu.”

Bett was the fourth child among six siblings and took up athletics to follow in his sister’s footsteps.

Related Topics:Athletics Death Featured Kenya Kipyegon Bett

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

22 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, Jerry Tshabalala, has been suspended indefinitely amid allegations of sexual harassment of players.

A statement by the management of the top South African team said the 44-year-old Tshabalala, who has been in charge of Sundowns’s women’s team for over a decade, has been accused of a number of allegations, including making inappropriate sexual comments to his players, as well as entering the dressing room and refusing to leave while players are completely naked.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sundowns said they had appointed a law firm to investigate the allegations against the coach with specific instructions to unravel allegations of improper conduct by the Tshabalala.

The club said it views the allegations in a very serious light and has relieved the coach of his appointment pending when the investigations are concluded.

“Sundowns has, in the interim, put Coach Jerry Tshabalala on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the club statement said.

“This is not done to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but to ensure that the investigation can proceed expeditiously and protect the rights of all parties.

“In the event that the investigation establishes facts that warrant action, the Board will immediately take such steps as are appropriate.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will in due course make announcements on the findings of the investigation and the action to be taken,” the statement concluded.

The Sundowns female team have been a dominant force in women’s football in South Africa and on the continent since Tshabalala took over in 2012, winning seven domestic league titles, as well as two CAF Women’s Champions League crowns.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)