Kenyan athletics official resigns amid graft and doping scandals

One of Kenya’s top athlete has quit his position as an executive member of the country’s athletic federation.

Noah Ngeny who won gold in 1500m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, resigned citing frustrations over Athletics Kenya’s inability to fight doping.

Kenya’s athletes have come under scrutiny as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) toughens its fight against doping in the sport.

38-year-old Ngeny said he had no desire to continue serving in a system where financial misappropriation thrived and there was no real willingness to support the fight against doping.

He becomes the first elected Athletics Kenya official to resign from office having held the position of an Executive Committee member.

“I went to AK as an Executive Member. I have been pushing a lot, maybe for AK to have a programme or to have substantive programmes to fight doping. Like we have education within the counties, we have a way of maybe dealing with the doping but down the line I have been pushing the executive but none of the members are taking it seriously,” he said.

His resignation increases the heat on the country’s athletics federation which has seen four of its top officials suspended for improper diversion of funds and subversion of the anti-doping process.

More than 30 athletes have been banned for doping in the east African country that has always thrived in athletics.