RUN CLEAN

            It should not come as a surprise that Kenya a country is riven with corruption could not have avoided the accusation of doping of its top long-distance runners arguably the best in the world. In a sport where large sums of money can be made, the temptation to take Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED) must be irresistible. The drug testing laboratories must be under enormous pressure to massage the results particular those of the top performers who are able to give substantial backhanders to the testers.

            That it has taken so many years to come to light may reflect the incompetence of the International Association of Athletics’ Federation (IAAF). The new President, Sebastian Coe has accepted a poisoned chalice. He comes as a white knight bent on cleaning up the mess but is he street-wise enough to untangle the web of lies and deception which has grown over the years under the leadership of the previous bosses, one of whom Lamine Diack is under investigation by the French police.

            Recently President Uhuru has been quoted as saying that he backs the efforts of the Kenya National Sports Council to clean up their act. Does his support mean anything or will it just push under the carpet any evidence that could smear Kenya’s reputation? With the spectre of Rio looming like a cobra over the sport and with the recent revelations from Russia, the 2016 Olympic games promises to be more than a sporting event.

                                                                                                February 12^th  2016