Emily Chebet Muge (second R) competes at the 2015 IAAF World Cross in Guiyang, China on March 28, 2015. She was among the seven athletes banned by Athletics Kenya for doping on Friday. PHOTO/IAAF/Getty Images
NAIROBI, November 30- International Athletics Consultancy (IAC); the stable headed by the late manager, Zane Branson, has distanced themselves from any involvement in doping action that saw their top client, Emily Chebet, to be banned for four years.
In a statement sent from Addis Ababa by Manager, Special Projects, Davor Savija, IAC accused the two-time women senior IAAF World Cross champion of failing to explain how banned masking agent, Furosemide was found in her system to invite the ban.
The Kericho-born Chebet, was among the seven athletes banned for two to four by Athletics Kenya (AK) on Friday to take the number of the country’s runners falling foul to anti-doping rules to 43; exacerbating the crisis that has invited threats by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to seek international suspension from competition.
IAC said they were in ‘shock and saddened’ at the sanctions revealing the convicted drug cheat star did not request her B-Sample to be tested after her A-Sample returned adverse results for the banned diuretic.
“Late Zane Branson (Emily’s IAAF Authorized Athletes’ Representative) and International Athletics Consultancy have learned about this devastating development related to out-of-competition test (June 4th, 2015) and subsequent Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) on July 7th, 2015 and almost five months later we remain equally shocked and saddened,” the statement signed by Savija said .
“International Athletics Consultancy, nor any of its service providers, are involved in any shape or form in pharmacological assistance of clients we work with-and-for. International Athletics Consultancy doesn’t condone any breach of rules and regulations governed by the ethics of sport, Olympism, IAAF, WADA and national federations.
“All clients of International Athletics Consultancy are advised to independently seek expertise in relation to WADA’s List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, Therapeutic Use Exemptions and Athlete Biological Passport,” the statement added.
“After learning of said AAF, Emily has decided not to opt for testing of B-Sample and has been provisionally suspended on July 17th, 2015.
“Due to travel through Ethiopia and Kenya, late Zane Branson was to meet with Emily in late July, to properly discuss developments, as most of communication (between days on which AAF was reported and on which Provisional Sanctioning was communicated) was indirect and though our Kenyan associate or Emily’s husband, Edward Muge,” Savija revealed.
“I met Emily after Kenyan National Trials for 2015 World Championships in Athletics and we have discussed this heartbreaking development and Emily communicated shock and confusion, with sabotage or medical negligence being mentioned as potential explanations, especially as Emily was on medication for toothache and strong headaches at the time of said out-of-competition test.
“During following months we were not able to learn anything that will provide any sort of explanation or context for said AAF and subsequent sanctioning. Emily’s AAF is first and only AAF for any of clients International Athletics Consultancy works with-and-for,” the manager charged.
Chebet also earned the shameful honour of being the first and only Kenyan champion at a major global event to be convicted for substance abuse in the decorated history of the nation.
“Has been sanctioned for four (4) years effective 17th July 2015 to 16th July 2019 after being found guilty of using the prohibited substance Furosemide,” AK said in a press statement dispatched in the darkness of Friday night in relation to Chebet.
Beijing Worlds female sprinters; Joyce Zakari and Francesca Koki who returned adverse findings at the summer biennial showpiece also received four year doping bans.
Local media reports said the pair have accused AK of not giving them a fair hearing in banning them for Furosemide; a substance proscribed as a masking agent.
Agnes Jepkosgei Cheserek, Bernard Mwendia, Judy Jesire Kimuge and Lilian Moraa completed the latest list of Kenyan doping shame.
IAC boss Branson passed on suddenly in Iten and was interred at the distance athletics heartland in fulfillment of final wishes to rest among the people he served as a global Athletes’ Representative.
