Athletics Kenya promises to take action over age cheating

AK President Jackson Tuwei (left) at a past event. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Lack of substantive age-cheating policy has raised huge concern even as Athletics Kenya (AK) starts crackdown on the fraud, with the federation admitting the vice goes as far as 2016, adding that they have so far unearthed 26 cases.

Just like doping menace which has been a concern for the past eight years for the country, age-cheating is posing another area for concerns for AK with the national running body setting up a committee to investigate the vice.

Over 26 cases of age-cheating is being investigated and the documents of the recently selected athletes to represent the country at the World Under-20 championships in Peru are being scrutinised for any malpractices.

"The amendments of age in the athletes documents, birth certificates and passports which are government documents is a fraud and must dealt with accordingly.

“We are urging parents of the young athletes and teachers to ensure that the kids have proper documentations, the documents must be official and certified.”

“We are doing everything possible to ensure we end the vice. Currently we are now updating data at AK to ensure that this does not continue,” AK President Jackson Tuwei said on Friday.

Tuwei emphasised that the federation is investigating the root cause of age fraud and is committed to resolving the issue.

The crackdown begins with the World U20 Championship team to ensure only eligible athletes compete in the global show.

Age fabrication is listed under Athletics Integrity Unit as a violation as it gives one undue advantage over the rest.