Organizers rubbish claims of fraud at Beyond Zero Half Marathon

The organisers of the 2019 Beyond Zero Half Marathon have refuted claims that the lady whose images are circulating on social media collecting awards was a con.

In the images that surfaced online, a lady in her late twenties is pictured collecting a dummy cheque of Sh 250, 000 for the winner of the 21km race while dressed in a white T-shirt  then later on she’s  also captured collecting a  Ksh 40,000 dummy chequefor the 10km second runner up, this time donning a purple top – a branded Beyond Zero top.

The images have created intense debate on social media with a user by the name John Boog expressing his disappointment. He wrote:  “…during the awarding of marathon winners, I witnessed total corruption as a certain lady took two medals and double money…. I am writing this because I don’t know whether the right winner will get her medal or her money…”

However, when contacted, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) chair Barnabas Korir rubbished the allegations saying that the lady was one of the event managers who was selected to pick the award on behalf of the winners who were still under the doping control.

“These are just rumours which have no basis. The woman in question was one of the ladies in charge of the event and she was just picking the award on behalf of the winners who by then were still in the doping control room,” growled Korir.

He went on: The President and the First Lady were to leave (shortly) and the lady was called upon to collect the cheques on their behalf.”

“It is also important to note that the lady did not run and immediately the winners came from the anti-doping stand they were handed their medals and there was no problem because we have not seen any winner complaining so far on the same,” said Korir who also doubles up as Athletics Kenya (AK) Nairobi region chairman.