Athletes appeal for a stop to harassment

Published on February 23, 2008, 12:00 am

By Biketi Kikechi

Athletes from the North Rift have asked the Government for protection from people claiming they sponsored violence.

Retired, current and budding runners on Friday gathered at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret to protest at victimisation.

The athletes said they had received emails threatening top runners from the region.

"These stories are worrying and it is very sad that athletes are not being allowed to train when we have the World Cross Country championship and the Olympic games coming," said Kipchoge Keino, chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

He said he was shocked to read about the allegations in a Nairobi tabloid when he arrived from Russia, on Friday.

"This is calculated to damage the image of Kenyan athletes internationally and it is going to affect young athletes," he said.

It was reported that athletes were involved in violence. The story was attributed to the International Crisis Group.

The ICG report alleged that the athletes with military background were training and commanding the raiders. It also said that they were preparing to take over the property of the displaced.

Among the athletes in attendance were Moses Kiptanui, Patrick Sang, Moses Tanui, Yobes Ondieki, Daniel Komen and Japheth Kimutai.

"We leaders of sports are worried about how our athletes are going to perform in the coming races," said Keino.

Athletes from US, South America, Bosnia, Switzerland and Sri Lanka who had been training at the Kipchoge Keino camp left the country due to violence.

The athletes asked the Government to protect athletes from intimidation.

"We want those who wrote that story to provide the evidence that athletes were funding these activities because we are all peaceful people," said Keino.

Last month, a group of athletes from Marakwet led by Kiptanui and Ezekiel Kemboi said police were harassing them.

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