Retired athlete Kiptum, coach convicted for conspiracy to cause disrepute
It is the end of the road for athletics coach Paul Kibet Simbolei and retired athlete Elias Kiptum Maindi after a Nairobi court yesterday found them guilty of offences of fabricating doping allegations against Kenyan top athletes and sharing them with foreign media.
In a judgement rendered by Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Magistrate Njeri Thuku, the court ruled that the prosecution had adduced adequate evidence and proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kibet and Kiptum conspired to forge information on doping in athletics with an aim of tarnishing Kenya’s image in athletics world.
Magistrate Thuku found that duo were part of an international conspiracy ring out to tarnish the country’s image that fabricated false doping information and ruined the reputation of Kenya’s top athletes including multiple world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri, Eunice Jepkoech Sum, Juan Pedro,
Amos Kipruto, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and Beatrice Chepkoech, in a bid to have them banned from participating in Olympics games.
Further, Kiptum a father of four forged a letter addressed to athlete Joyce Chepkirui’s manager Gianni Demadonna informing him that Chepkurui had tested positive for Norandrosterone. Chepkirui previously participated in 42 kilometers marathons in New York and Boston and has since been banned over the fabricated doping allegations against her.
Kiptum, 44 was also found guilty of forging information against Italian athletic agent Federico Rosa claiming that his Italy -based company Rosa & Associati had been involved in doping.
The false allegations by Kiptum against Rosa ruined the reputation of two Kenyan athletes including Rita Jeptoo whose four years doping ban was imposed by the IAAF in October 2019.
Evidence adduced in court reveals that Kiptum, a former athlete who was active between 2005 and 2014 when he retired and athlete coach Kibet had been working with foreign journalists in fabricating information on doping in Athletics Kenya.
The duo had prepared documents purporting that doping was being promoted and encouraged by several state agencies in the country, with the aim of having Kenya suspended from participating at the Olympics.
They are said to have committed on diverse dates between September 16, 2019 and April 18, 2020.
According to evidence tabled in court Kibet and Kiptum forged documents purportedly signed by officials from the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and Athletics Kenya (AK) were shared with the Europe-based journalists, who have been part of the ring.
