Suspended Kenyans say official sought bribes
EMBU, Kenya — Two Kenyan athletes serving four-year bans for doping at the 2015 world championships say the chief executive of Athletics Kenya, the country’s governing body for track and field, asked them each for a $24,000 US bribe to reduce their suspensions.
Joy Sakari and Francisca Koki Manunga say CEO Isaac Mwangi asked for the payment in an Oct. 16 meeting, but they could not raise the money. They were then were informed of their four-year bans in a Nov. 27 email, but never filed a criminal complaint because, they say, they had no proof to back up their bribery accusation and also feared repercussions.
Mwangi dismissed the allegation as “just a joke,” denied ever meeting privately with the athletes and said Athletics Kenya has no power to shave time off athletes’ bans.
“We have heard stories, athletes coming and saying, ‘Oh, you know, I was asked for money,’ ” Mwangi said. “But can you really substantiate that?”
Sakari, a 400-metre runner, and Manunga, a hurdler, said they would be willing to testify to the ethics commission of the International Association of Athletics Federations, the global governing body of athletics. The commission already is investigating allegations officials sought to subvert anti-doping efforts in Kenya, solicited bribes and offered athletes reduced bans. The probe has led to the suspensions of AK’s president, a vice-president and its former treasurer.
Sharad Rao, a former director of prosecutions in Kenya who also has adjudicated cases for the Court of Arbitration for Sport, is leading the ethics investigation for the International Association of Athletics Federations. Sakari and Manunga’s decision to come forward could be a breakthrough because Kenyan athletes have been unwilling to act as whistleblowers. “There is obviously the reluctance on the part of the athletes to come forward,” Rao said. “They don’t want to stand out.”
As many as a half-dozen banned athletes have privately indicated to the IAAF commission that AK officials sought to extort them and that they feel their sanctions might have been less if they had paid bribes, Rao said.