I did not violate WADA rules: Mpoke

Fast rising Kenyan hurdler Moitalel Mpoke's Tokyo Olympic dream might be over if his sentiments on one of his social media platforms is anything to go by. Mpoke who won silver medal in the last World Under-18 Championships held in 2017 punched his Tokyo Olympics ticket with a 48.89 performance in NCAA 400m hurdles but is fearful of missing the Games for a doping violation.

The 20-year-old took to social media to apologise to his fans, claiming a whereabouts violation claim by Athletics Kenya (AK), which he denies committing, will see him miss the Summer Games 

"(Sic) I am so sorry I can’t compete at Tokyo Olympics 2021 even though I have been preparing well despite all the challenges I went through towards this event and I met qualifying Olympic standards. I also went through the three tests as required and send them (AK) the results but the issue is they claim they sent World Antidoping Agency to my house to get tested and I am very sure nobody came because I was at my house preparing for my final exam and didn’t receive any call at all. I am very disappointed. Hopefully, I will see you all next season,” said Mpoke.

He qualified for the Games in May when he clocked 48.89 seconds to win his 400m hurdles during the South Eastern Conference Outdoor Championships at the E.B Cushing Stadium, Texas, United States.

Mpoke met the Olympic qualifying standard by 0.01 seconds to also improve his personal best within three weeks by 0.72 seconds. Following his win, he became the first athlete in the history of Texas University to run a sub 49 seconds in the 400m hurdles breaking a 34-year-old record of 49.05, which was previously held by Craig Calk.

His feat in May saw him join other Kenyan sprinters Emmanuel Korir and Hellen Syombua who had qualified for the Olympics in 2019. During the AK Olympics trials, two more sprinters Mark Otieno and Ferdinand Omanyala joined the list of Kenyan qualified sprinters to the Games. 

Meanwhile, another storm is brewing as to how another athlete, Kamar Etyang, who is neither on the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya ( ADAK) nor on the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) testing pool and has therefore not been tested enough got an invitation to the national Olympics trials.

Etyang is protesting his imminent removal from the list of athletes headed to Tokyo despite having finished in second place at the trials behind Jenya Defence Forces' Charles Simwoto.

AK's Barnaba Korir who is the General Team Manager for Tokyo Olympics in a statement said that AK are handling the case of Etyang with the utmost discretion.

"He is one of the emerging talents yet to meet the anti-doping requirements, the three mandatory out of competition tests, which is very normal for a country like ours that keeps producing outstanding talents every passing day. I want to confirm that we are in talks with AIU to find a lasting solution on this matter. In the meantime, let us avoid speculation since Etyang is still in camp and we are still engaging AIU to consider such cases where youngsters who have not met anti-doping requirements crop up. While the issue at hand is very sensitive, I want to discourage the fans from taking to social media walls to propagate hatred and personal vendetta. Lost in these cacophonies, will be the interest of the young man.

Going by the many comments on many forums, it is evident there are many honest people who want to know the truth and those hellbent on maliciously attacking the Federation or individual persons. However, as GTM, I will stick to the truth and the rights of an individual athlete. The truth will eventually prevail. There are issues that we know and as responsible people, keep within the confines of the position.

In the meantime, we continue to support all the teams that are preparing for the Olympics and thank the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Sports and in particular the CS and PS for the immense support they have given to all the teams. Finally, I would like to reiterate that we Shall respect Rule 15 which is under WADA CODE that will eventually lift Kenya out of the Category A of nations. Let us remember we put ourselves in that position," Korir's statement read.