AfricaPress-Tanzania: ATHLETICS Tanzania (AT) has ordered for an explanation from three race organisers in the country after allowing a Kenyan runner to compete for their respective races, while serving ban.
According to AT information and Communication Officer, Tullo Chambo, the World Athletics (WA), formally known as International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), had imposed a four year ban on Kenyan athlete -Joan Nancy Rotich, allegedly after failing a drug test.
“AT received information from one Kiprop Richard of Kenya that athlete Joan was serving an IAAF ban of four years after failing a drug test during the Oorendoo Doha Marathon in 2019 and her ban was running from January 11th, 2019 to February, 2023,” Chambo said.
Chambo told the ‘Daily News on Saturday’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that they have demanded an explanation from the three race organisers on why they allowed the Kenyan to participate in their respective races.
Chambo said that Joan participated in this year’s Kilimanjaro Marathon held on March 1st in Moshi, where she finished third position and bagged 1m/- in cash prize from the organisers.
The Kenyan athletes also competed in the Rock City Marathon in Mwanza and Serengeti Safari Marathons in Mara regions in October and November respectively last year.
During the 2019 Rock City Marathon Joan settled in the second position after clocking 02 hours: 46 minutes and 07 seconds behind her fellow Kenyan, Elilither Tanui, who won the 42.2 km race for women discipline after registering 02:42:50 running time.
According to reports, Joan was banned by the World Athletics after testing positive with presence of a prohibited substance –Norandrosterone after the 2019 Oorendoo Marathon in Doha.
Chambo said, the AT Technical Committee which met on April 20th this year to deliberate on the issue, concluded that there was a serious lapse of observation of WA as well as AT’s rules and regulations governing the participation of foreign athletes in any race.
“One of the most obvious requirements is that “all foreign athletes must have and show letters’ of clearance from their National Federations before participating in any race. WA Competition Rule No. 4 is very clear about this. Why athlete Joan (Nancy Rotich), participated in the 2020 edition of Kilimanjaro International Marathon without a letter of clearance from Athletics Kenya?
The AT also demanded for the organisers to make it clear on whether there were other athletes too (who were under the same situation like that of Joan) who did not have letters from their National Federations but participated unchecked, won (whatever they won) and went away unnoticed.
Tulo said AT holds the management of Kilimanjaro Marathon Co. Ltd. wholly responsible for the breach of rules and regulations in Joan’s case and has directed them to make a follow up itself of the prize money it paid to Joan.
“AT also demands an explanation from organizers of Rock City Marathon and Serengeti Safari Marathon as to how comes the athlete participated in their races while she was serving a four-year-ban imposed to her by World Athletics
“AT reminds all race organizers to abide by the rules and regulations of World Athletics,” said Chambo.
Also AT has requested Athletics Kenya (AK), Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to take the necessary stern measures against the athlete for a gross violation of suspension imposed on her by WA.
AT has as well informed the National Sports Council (NSC) of the violation of the ban the Kenya runner by participating in a series of competitions organised in Tanzania from January 11th, 2019 and to March this year.
