Asbel's withdrawal political, sources claim

High profile withdrawals from Team Kenya to the second International Association of Athletics Federations World Relays Championship is being blamed on politics and tough action by Athletics Kenya on some managers.

Commonwealth 1,500m silver medalist Ronald Kwemoi has also withdrawn from the team, one day after former Olympic and two-time world 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop said he had withdrawn from the team, citing injury.

Both were named in the medley relay team (1,200m, 400m, 800m and 1,600m) that will be run for the first time in the second edition of the global competition in Nassau, Bahamas, May 2-3.

Source at the team’s camp at Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani confided to FeverPitch that Kiprop’s pulling out of the competition is political and has nothing to do with an injury.

Kiprop denied the claims, saying he was indeed injured and that had been certified by team doctor, Peter Nduhiu.

Former marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang and Kiprop protested against AK’s six-month suspension of Rosa Associati and Volare Management, saying they read malice in the move.

“His pulling out of the team is political. He is furious and protesting AK’s decision to suspend Rosa Associati alongside Volare, which manage top marathoners like Dennis Kimetto and Wilson Kipsang', over doping allegations,” said a member of the technical bench.

“He was examined by the doctors here and no hamstring injury was found despite his claims that he was injured," the source revealed

“His claims were forwarded to the management who requested that he be taken to hospital for further examinations this morning (yesterday). However, he vanished from the camp before being taken for check-up and he could not be reached."