ADAK: We saw the Iten doping video and called CID

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has expressed its horror at the latest expose from German TV, ARD and British publication, Sunday Times that accused athletes from both countries of using EPO at a training camp in Iten.

The reports are due to cause further aspersions on Kenyan athletes preparing to compete at the Rio 2016 Summer Games next month with Britain confirming it had sent investigators over to probe the sensational claims.
Two of the medical practitioners cited in the documentary have been remanded in custody until July 18 when their case will come before mention at Milimani Law Courts.

Speaking to Citizen Digital on Sunday ADAK chief executive; Japhter Rugut said that the matter was of great concern and the local anti doping body wants to weed out the perpetrators.

“I’m aware of the report aired by ARD in collaboration with Sunday Times of London. The reporters visited my office four days ago and showed me a video clip that they had recorded in Eldoret and its surroundings in the recent past.

“The evidence indicates that medical practitioners who have been deliberately assisting some of our sports persons to obtain or use prohibited substances which enhance performance amongst athletes.

“The information was shocking and was great concern to us, these this are things done in a clandestine manner it’s not done openly. This seems to indicate that it was done openly which is very disheartening,” Rugut charged.

“We shared the same information with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID). This to us is criminal especially when someone admits that he has actually assisted sports persons in obtaining prohibited substances.

“The CID took over the case and as for now three arrests have been made and two of them have already been arraigned in court. Going forward we want to ensure that we have a clean culture in sports and be able to compete fairly.” Rugut explained.

The CEO also added that ADAK was not behind the arrest of Italian manager Federico Rosa and compatriot Claudio Barardelli but they are interested in the matter.

“We are not aware of what was going on in Rosa Associati and Barardelli since the complains came from elsewhere. The arrest has nothing to do with ADAK however, the allegations are also of great concern to us and we are monitoring since it touches on us (ADAK) directly,” he added.

“The Anti- Doping law of 2016 talks of criminalising not the athletes but the support personnel for example the doctors who helped in obtaining and use of the prohibited substance.

“Once an athlete has tested positive we recommend the athlete to be sanctioned since they are not criminals and the sanction could be of two years or more depending on the infringement.

“If they had won any price money or medal they are stripped off the medal and made to return the money. That is enough punishment for them,” he clarified the role of the organization in light of recent arrests tied to doping.

Soon after watching the damning video, ADAK contacted authorities at CID leading to the arrests of Joseph Karuri Mwangi and Ken Kipchumba on Thursday in Eldoret by Anti-Narcotics Police Unit officers.

Karuri who operates an herbal clinic in Eldoret and Kipchumba a clinical officer at St. Luke’s Orthopedic and Trauma Hospital in Eldoret, were detained for 10 days to allow policed complete investigations against them.

-British investigators-

ADAK’s counterparts; Britain’s anti-doping agency has opened an investigation into newspaper allegations that doctors in Kenya supplied prohibited performance enhancing drugs to British athletes.

“UK Anti-Doping has reviewed the evidence presented to us by The Sunday Times and it is of grave concern and of significant interest,” UKAD chief executive Nicole Sapstead said in a statement.

“We have opened an investigation and are taking the necessary steps to corroborate the evidence and investigate it further.”

 

Tags:

doping ADAK Japhter Rugut EPO Asbel Kiprop CID Sunday Times ARD

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