Athletics Kenya uncovers age-cheating scandal involving 20 athletes
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 29.01.26. | 10:04
The investigation, carried out jointly by AK and World Athletics, reviewed 60 cases dating back to 2016. Of these, 25 athletes were cleared, 20 were found guilty of age manipulation, while 15 cases remain under active investigation
Athletics Kenya (AK) has unearthed a deep-rooted age-cheating scandal that has shaken the country’s athletics system, with at least 20 athletes found guilty of falsifying their ages to compete in junior events.
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The investigation, carried out jointly by AK and World Athletics, reviewed 60 cases dating back to 2016. Of these, 25 athletes were cleared, 20 were found guilty of age manipulation, while 15 cases remain under active investigation.
“While we have stopped those found guilty from competing locally, we are now waiting for World Athletics to advise us on the next steps,” said Joseph Ilovi, Secretary of the AK Youth and Development Committee.
The scandal has cast a shadow over Kenya’s junior athletics success, with four of the implicated athletes having won medals at the 2021 World Under-20 Athletics Championships.
Fresh cases have also emerged from the 2025 Africa Under-20 and Under-18 Championships held in Nigeria, suggesting the problem is ongoing.
“What makes this particularly worrying is that most of those found to have falsified their ages are now competing at the senior level, with some having secured scholarships to study in the United States,” Ilovi revealed, underscoring the far-reaching consequences of the fraud.
Investigators also uncovered the involvement of at least 10 schools, where teachers and coaches allegedly altered athletes’ documents, in some cases without the knowledge or consent of parents, driven by the pursuit of trophies, recognition, and scholarships.
“That is why some athletes ended up with multiple birth certificates and passports,” Ilovi explained.
During a visit to Kenya last year, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe issued a stern warning that athletes found guilty of age-cheating would be stripped of titles and medals and could face bans similar to those imposed for doping offenses.
AK president Jack Tuwei echoed those concerns, warning that local collaborators would face legal action, as the vice threatens to rival doping as the biggest integrity crisis facing Kenyan athletics.
“Some athletes provided inconsistent birth dates, with some cases going back eight years. Even top athletes are under scrutiny,” said AK Director of Youth Development Barnaba Korir in an earlier interview.
World Athletics has since placed Kenya under close watch ahead of the World Under-20 Championships in Eugene, USA, cautioning that further violations could lead to restrictions or bans.
While AK has provisionally suspended the affected athletes, final sanctions will be determined by World Athletics.
“We shall only publish their names once World Athletics communicates the way forward,” Ilovi said.
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