Nandi Deputy County Secretary Dr. Lydia Kosgei has called upon athletes in the county to ensure that everyone competes in a fair and clean manner.
Kosgei was speaking today at a meeting for athletes organised by the County Department of Sports at the 2Running Club in Chebarbar, Emgwen Sub-County, in a bid to promote clean sports.
She noted that the meeting was aimed at protecting the integrity of sports against banned performance-enhancing drugs that have threatened the careers of many sportsmen and women.
“We want all athletes to be clean, stay clean, and believe all others are clean. Athletes have a responsibility to make sure that anything they put in their body is free of any banned substances,” she said.
Speaking at the same event, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Sports, Miss Rose Angira, called upon athletes to ensure everyone competes in a fair and clean manner.
Angira revealed that going forward, her department will be visiting training camps within Nandi County to engage and get to know the athletes’ daily activities and challenges they are facing.
“We shall also have a database of all the training camps, licensed coaches, managers, and athletes in those camps at the department. We are committed to supporting our athletes and promoting sports as part of the county’s development agenda,” said the CECM.
She advised athletes to wisely invest their hard-earned money by venturing into profitable investments that would sustain them after retiring from sports.
On her part, Chief Officer for Sports Beatrice Chemurgor urged all athletes to take good care of themselves and consult their coaches before consuming any prescribed over-the-counter drugs to avoid doping. She asked the sportsmen and women to consider investing in Nandi County, adding that the county government will offer a conducive environment for them.
Athletes present during the meeting appreciated the initiatives being undertaken by the county government to support them.
Nandi County, which prides itself as the ‘Source of Champions’, has produced a number of legendary athletes, from Kipchoge Keino in the 1960s to Henry Rono in the 1970s and now Eliud Kipchoge.
The county has 28 athletic camps which train track athletes, scholarship marathoners, road race athletes, and master athletes.
To promote sporting activities in the region, the county government has put up a multimillion-dollar sports complex whose construction work is at 95 per cent. Once the training centre is built to international standards, it will offer a ray of hope to many upcoming athletes within and outside the county.
The facility comprises a training track, athlete lounge, conference hall, modern gym, clinic, swimming pool, an art studio, and physiotherapy rooms.
By Linet Wafula
