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Athletics fans surely hope that Aristotle wasn’t bang on the money when he coined the phrase, “We are what we repeatedly do.” That would surely be a blow to Kenyan athletics and its history. In a moment of foreshadowing, the head of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), Brett Clothier warned recently, “Everyone has to be prepared because there are going to be a lot more doping cases in Kenya in the next few months and years.”

“I’m trying to tell everyone, “Don’t be surprised. Don’t be shocked.” This is what needs to happen to get this under control. It’s now or never.”

The warning, as it were, may ease the tension a little — Clothier has a tough job in front of him — but how do fourth and fifth-place finishers feel about losing prize money and potential sponsor bonuses, placement on teams and glory?

After all of the horrible things that came out of Pandora’s Box, the final thing was not patience or empathy, but hope. So, by this, athletes should run on hope? Compete in the hope that cheating competitors get popped? The tail is wagging the dog, and Rover just escaped the kennel very hungry.

Rodgers Kwemoi

Rodgers Kwemoi was provisionally suspended by the AIU on Friday for an Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) violation.

The 25-year-old owns a 5000-metre personal best of 13:18 and a 26:55 best in the 10,000m. His half-marathon pb is 58:30. All not believable.

Kwemoi first arrived on the scene by defeating Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo to win gold in the 10,000m event at the 2016 World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Two years later, he made his senior Kenyan debut by earning bronze in the 10,000 at the Commonwealth Games. He finished fourth at the 2019 Worlds Athletics Championships, and seventh at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Kwemoi has recently competed in a series of 10,000m races in Japan.

Interestingly, Coach Patrick Sang, who coaches Eliud Kipchoage, the world record holder at 2:01:09, has had two Kipchoge training partners test positive. We hope this is not a daily habit.

Agnes Barsosio

The 2019 Hangzhou Marathon champion, Agnes Barsosio, suffered the very same fate as Kwemoi.

An ABP anomaly indicates a change in blood profile that is enough to warrant a suspension as the markers indicate a case of doping, even if the athletes did not test positive.

Barsosio had a big year in 2017, running the Paris Marathon in the time of 2:20:59. She also ran 68:21 in the København, DEN half-marathon.

These two provisional suspensions come two days after Kenyan Michael Kunyuga Njenga was suspended.

Issam Asinga

Athletics Illustrated reported that American Issam Asinga, born in the U.S. was from Suriname. In fact, he is an American who competes for Suriname. The AIU suspended Asinga for the use of the Prohibited Substance GW1516. The 18-year-old has made headlines this year after breaking the Under-20 100m world record at the South American Championships.

Well, Aristotle also said, “Hope is a waking dream.”

Ouch — that’s asking a lot.

Shoestrings…

What is happening with Bobby Kersee’s two top-notch athletes? Athing Mu may not compete in the Budapest World Athletics Championships and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is out with a “minor knee injury.”

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