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Doctor’s 'dope' injection led to my ban -says athlete Kisorio

Sports

Athlete kisorio

He has been in the cold for two years, away from active athletics after he was banned by Athletics Kenya in 2012 for allegedly using performance enhancing drugs.

Mathew Kisorio, who had a half marathon best of 58:46 minutes, making him the third fastest Kenyan ever, knows that shaking off the tag of ‘drug cheat’ is not easy.

“I’m aware I will not be received with open arms, but I am determined to do everything to return to the only life I know, athletics. Some people may not approve of my comeback, but it’s a price worth paying. I still feel clean because what happened to me was not intentional,” says Kisorio after his ban ended in July 11.

Soft-spoken Kisorio vividly recalls the day the misfortune befell him with a tinge of bitterness and regret.

“I still remember the year 2011 as if it was yesterday. I was involved in a road accident early that year, which impacted on my training. I sought medical attention from a doctor in Eldoret who gave me an injection. I remember telling him before administering the injection that I would be competing in three weeks’ time. He assured me the injection was safe,” explains Kisorio. 

“Three weeks after the injection, I travelled to Nairobi for the national trials for the World Championships. I finished third and was picked for testing. While in the doping control room, I informed the doping controllers that I had been under some medication. Weeks later, the bombshell from Athletics Kenya came,” adds Kisorio, who captained the national cross country team to Punta Umbria, Spain in 2011.

Kisorio took responsibility after news spread that he had tested positive. Many however wonder why he admitted to doping if it was a mistake by his doctor.

“The test was there for all to see. What good would it have done if I denied it? I did not want to waste a lot of time, so I just admitted to enable Athletics Kenya hunt down and punish whoever messed up my  source of livelihood. I was a good athlete right from primary school. I did not need  drugs to be a top athlete. I was already one anyway,” adds Kisorio.

After his ban, he was accused of implicating 30 other Kenyan athletes. A German journalist, Hajo Seppelt, quoted him saying he was not the only one using drugs, and that other Kenyan athletes were doing it. The report caused a rift between him, fellow athletes and Athletics Kenya officials. This prompted the rest of the world to cast doubt on every Kenyan athlete.

“I don’t understand why he misquoted me. I only took responsibility for my case. How could I implicate all Kenyan athletes when my brother Peter Some (Paris Marathon Champion, 2013) and my sister are athletes? My father is also a former athlete and athletics is a family livelihood?” Wonders Kisorio.

‘’Many athletes felt I was out to ruin their careers. No one wanted to be associated with me, and as I make a comeback, I hope my colleagues understand that I did not do anything to ruin their careers. I hope they can accept me back to the sport. I know it will be a difficult time, but I have already spoken to a few. This is a bridge I want to cross,’’ says Kosorio who finished 10th in the 2011 New York Marathon.

Kisorio’s doping saga triggered the sports ministry to form an anti-doping task force led by Dr Monica Wekesa. Their mandate was to investigate the  doping allegations among Kenyan athletes. Kisorio appeared before the task force several times and presented crucial information on doping.

The task force presented its findings and recommendations earlier in the year. Also presented was a sealed envelope with names of clinics and individuals found to have violated doping rules. Sports cabinet secretary, Dr Hassan Wario, is yet to make public the contents of the envelope.

Kisorio is currently not attached to any sports management after his Italian manager and coach deserted him.

‘’I have missed many opportunities and wasted a lot of time and money. I even had to return prize money amounting to over Sh50 million,” he adds.

 

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