Kenya’s retired and active runners want athletes to be responsible for what they consume, so as to curb cases of doping.
This follows the positive dope test by the first Kenyan female athlete to win Olympic marathon gold Jemimah Sumgong.
Sumgong who is also the reigning London Marathon champion, tested positive for the banned substance EPO in an out of competition test by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Kenya.
The 32-year-old runner also beat Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba to become the world number one marathon athlete of the year.
However speaking separately, the athletes said urgent intervention measures are needed to end the menace.
According to the reigning Commonwealth 1500m champion James Magut, the athlete’s move to dope is purely an individual act.
Magut wondered the motive behind the use of banned substance yet the athletes were aware of the consequences.
“I am even shocked. I don’t think anyone is involved because the athletes are the ones to take care of their bodies. There are consequences in using blood boosters and I want to urge my fellow athletes to live to the spirit of running clean. Let us save Kenya from such humiliations yet we are the athletic power-house,” he said.