Ndereba calls for life bans, jail for drug cheats

Former women’s world marathon record holder and legend, Catherine ‘The Great’ Ndereba, has called for drug cheats to banned from the sport for good and face jail term.

The two-time world champion and twice Olympics silver medallist also supported the purge on illegal drug use in the sport following arrests and arraigning in court of suspects being investigated on doping related charges.

“I believe doping is a cheap route to success. Those doing it will win anything and everything they want but at the end of the day it was all illegal and dishonest. Competing is not all about winning but progression,” the four-time Boston and twice Chicago marathon winner said.

“As much as I admire young and energetic athletes, nobody wants to be involved with cheats and dishonest people, so it is my wish that all athletes found guilty of doping allegations are stripped of their titles, if any, or removed from the world of athletics for good.

“The government should further apprehend them for a jail term for their bad deeds,” the visibly anguished Ndereba urged.

In light of the arrests of Italian manager, Federico Rosa and his compatriot, coach Claudio Berardelli and three local medics, Dr. Samson Talei, Ken Kipchumba Limo and Joseph Mwangi, the Paris 2003 and Osaka 2007 world champion urged authorities to investigate foreign athletes’ representatives and punish those guilty of perpetrating the vice in their camps.

“Most of the athletes in Kenya like me come from rural areas and it is hard for them to distinguish and recognise various illegal substances used for enhancing performances.

“So it is my wish that all agents be investigated to fully ascertain the root cause of this disease,” she added.

Rosa denied six doping charges facing him on Thursday while Berardelli was released on bail a day earlier and is yet to take his plea. Dr. Talei was released on bail as well on Thursday with Kipchumba and Mwangi who are remanded in custody due to join him on the dock on Monday.

The Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics silver winner is optimistic that not all athletes are involved in the menace and the team selected for Rio will make Kenya proud.

“I believe there are those athletes that don’t take part in the use of illegal substances and who are ready to train and prepare both physically and mentally to achieve success on the track.

“A doping suspension will always jeopardise the career and the life of an athlete. I believe athletes should stand up and refute the despicable vice.”

Ndereba who broke the women’s marathon world record in at the 2001 Chicago Marathon urged young athletes to stand on their own feet, train hard and always pray to achieve success.

“Athletes should stop chasing easy money and glory, they should thrive from the hard work and effort that they put on the tracks,” the veteran athlete advised.

Ahead of the Olympic Games in Brazil, Ndereba believes the Government’s decision to disown doping athletes was the right choice.

Ndereba is part of the National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) Steering Committee for the Rio 2016 Games.

She was also elected as a Nock Member alongside fellow legend and retired men’s marathon record holder, Paul Tergat.