Kipchoge slams growing cases of rampant doping in the country

Kenya’s double Olympic champion and the men’s world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has slammed the increasing number of doping cases threatening to tarnish the face of athletics in the country and has urged upcoming athletes that there is no shortcut to achieving success in the sport.

Since the start of the year, over 20 Kenyan athletes have been found culpable of various doping offenses with Diana Kipyokei, the women’s 2021 Boston marathon winner, among the latest to be provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after failing a drugs test which will see her stripped of the title if her case concludes with a ban.

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Speaking after his recent exploits in the German capital of Berlin where he broke his own marathon World Record last month by lowering the time from 2:01.39 to 2:01.09, Kipchoge, while revealing why so many athletes are doping, sounded out a strong warning to the offenders as he encouraged the athletes to engage in clean practices even if it takes a long time to achieve success.

“I think people are actually doping to perform well and get money. But there is no shortcut for performance and shortcut for getting money. They say it is better to go slow, sure but in a successful way. So, I urge the young generation, especially those under 25 to train in a good way, love the sport and the sport will treat them in a good way,” he said in an interview on NTV’s Sport On.

“I trust that if you dope, then greediness will kill you. You know the moment you will be on your deathbed, you will die very fast because you are already killed,” the greatest marathoner of all time added.

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Kipchoge, who is also renowned for his famous defying historic feat of becoming the first man to ever run a marathon in under two hours, also urged athletes to pay attention to their mental health during their career.

“Mental health in general is important. You should actually be 100% healthy. Physically you should be healthy but you know what drives the whole body is the mind. If your mind is not healthy then your body is not healthy. So it is critical that you take care of your mental health because there is no way your physical health can be above your mental health,” added the 'No Human Is Limited' ambassador.

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