AK boss Tuwei asks managers to help in doping fight

Athletics Kenya (AK) has urged athletes’ managers to take a front row seat in the fight to weed out the doping menace that has put Kenya under the World Anti-doping Agency spotlight and threatened to lock the country of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Top AK officials including Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei met a total of 33 of 39 athletes’ managers in the country during the annual workshop held in Nairobi on Friday where the officials sought to step up efforts to restore the global image of the sport.

“We advised managers to keep close contact with their athletes. Should an athlete be found guilty of doping then they should be advised to forward names of those who abetted the crime to the authorities.

“The AK is working closely with the government to ensure that doping is no longer an issue to worry about,” Tuwei told Citizen Digital.

He commended coaches who set up training camps and assured there would be well laid out rules and regulations to govern all camps.

Tuwei also mentioned part of their discussions included suggestions to have foreign coaches vetted before being allowed to handle Kenya athletes.

“Before looking elsewhere for coaches, managers should first explore the option of having a local, qualified coach.

“We have asked each manager to submit documents naming their sub-agents within and outside the country as well the exact locations of their training camps and any other personnel involved,” he said.

Tuwei also advocated for mutual respect between athletes and their managers.

-Report by Phyllis Kochwa