KAPSABET, Kenya, November 7 – Upcoming athletes in Nandi County have been cautioned against reckless romantic relationships that derail their promising careers.
The 2008 Olympic 800m silver medalist Janeth Jepkosgei said the industry is rife with unscrupulous individuals who prey on young athletes and trick them into relationships.
“It is true…male athletes are also going through a lot. We have a lot of women here in Kapsabet who are not really runners but pretend to be, to get close to these male athletes. We also have cases where female athletes have fallen victims to men posing as coaches or fellow athletes but with the intention of sucking them dry of their hard-earned monies,” Jepkosgei said.
The 2007 World 800m champion further lamented the breakdown in family values, noting cases where ‘coaches’ are getting into relationships with athletes young enough to be their daughters whereas older women are hunting down male runners.
“Men, what happened to our cultural values? It used to be that you could not simply get into relationships with a girl without going to see her parents first. I have encountered situations where someone is married yet is dating an athlete young enough to be his daughter,” she said.
Jepkosgei further warned young athletes against disrespecting their parents and elders once they taste fame.
“Even with all that I have achieved, there are people who when they correct me, I take it seriously and listen to their advice. Do not think that making money or becoming famous gives you the license to now bear down on your parents and not listen to what they say,” she said.
Echoing her sentiments was coach Richard Mutai who proposed that the only way to restructure broken family values is spiritual nourishment.
“I have seen the establishment of chaplaincy services bear fruit in the National Police Service. We have a lot of good pastors in this area who should be enlisted in this fight. We need to provide athletes with structured pastoral services on specific days to help them deal with the issues they deal with on a daily basis, such as gender-based violence (GBV) and navigating marriage,” Mutai said.
The two were among speakers at an engagement forum with athletes at the Nandi Cottages in Kapsabet on Thursday.
The forum is part of week-long deliberations with athletes across the country on the causes of GBV and proposed solutions as well as financial literacy.
Organisers of the deliberations include Athletics Kenya (AK), Equity Bank, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) – supported by the state departments of Gender as well as Sports and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
Speaking at the forum, Nandi’s County Executive Committee Member for Sports, Gender, Social Welfare and Cultural Heritage, Rose Angira, called on athletes to shatter the silence surrounding GBV.
“Today, I urge everyone to break the silence about GBV. It thrives in our silence and reluctance to speak out. We must not feel uncomfortable. Justice must be done; dignity of women and girls must be protected. We must advocate for policies that protect women and girls,” Angira said.
AK’s chief administrative officer Susan Kamau urged athletes to utilise the reporting mechanisms for eradicating GBV.
“As part of our reporting mechanism, we have a hotline, 1195 (toll free) and 0701116116 (chatbot) to help report cases of GBV. Make sure you provide information that is accurate. Do not suffer in silence. Riadha House is open for you. We have set up a safeguarding office and engaged the services of a lawyer. We have also opened an office in Eldoret. If you have a problem, you can come to Daima Towers,” Kamau said.
Viridiana Wasike, NGAAF’s director of fund management, said the spirit athletes exhibit in pursuit of medals is the same one required for the fight against GBV.
“We need to put an end to femicide in Kenya and GBV. The same spirit that you run with in pursuit of medals is the same one we hope you can run with the mantle of ending GBV. We need you to put your knee down and say “all lives matter,” Wasike said.
The campaign continues on Friday with a visit to Kericho for similar engagements.
