Athletics Kenya lifts ban on two foreign managers

NAIROBI: Athletics Kenya on Thursday announced the lifting on a six-month suspension on two foreign managers of the country’s top marathon runners Dennis Kimetto and Wilson Kipsang.
Volare Sports, under Dutchman Gerard Van de Veen and Italy-based Rosa and Associati, were suspended in April pending investigations into allegations of widespread doping by the Kenyan athletes.
But Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei said the two agents had been allowed to resume their work while the investigations were still going on.
“The team that is carrying out the investigations have tentatively reviewed the two cases, and since it might take a little longer to reach any conclusions, the two firms will be allowed to resume their work for the sake of the innocent athletes,” Tuwei told a news conference.
“We really had to make a decision since not every athlete is a culprit.”
Tuwei said the federation had widened the scope of investigations on other foreign agents after more than 30 Kenyan athletes tested positive for banned substances since 2012 and 15 are currently serving suspensions.
“We will hold a meeting with all the foreign agents and coaches in Nairobi in February to discuss this issue,” said Tuwei.
Three of those athletes who are currently serving bans, including the three-time Boston marathon winner, Rita Jeptoo, are managed by Rosa and Associati.
The two other women runners from the same camp — 800m runner Agatha Jeruto and marathoner Josephine Jepkoech — received two-year and four year bans respectively early this month.