Athletics Kenya warns agent's arrest may affect Rio-bound team

Athletics Kenya warns agent's arrest may affect Rio-bound team

NAIROBI - Athletics Kenya on Friday warned that the arrest and arraignment of leading agent Federico Rosa could have a negative impact on the athletes' performances in next month's Rio Olympics.

The agent of disgraced Kenyan marathoner Rita Jeptoo, Federico Rosa stands on the dock on July 6, 2017 at the court in Nairobi's district of Kibera

Rosa, is a director of Rosa and Associati, an Italian-based sports management company which has managed a large number of Kenyan athletes since 1990.

It counts former Olympic and three-time 1500m world champion Asbel Kiprop as one of its members.

"Athletics Kenya has learnt through third parties and the media of the arrest, questioning and arraignment in court of Mr Federico Rosa and his father, Dr Gabriele Rosa who are senior members of the athletes representative accredited from Rosa and Associati of Italy," the federation said in a statement.

"We would like to point out that since Friday the authorities have not informed us or shared any information regarding the charges against the Rosas."

The federation said they suspended Rosa Associati for six months in the wake of the doping scandal involving several Kenyan athletes last year, but the firm's licence was restored after investigators found nothing incriminating against them.

"We are therefore urging the authorities or anybody with any information regarding Rosa Associati to share it with us because in the long run, as international protocols demand, Athletics Kenya will eventually be involved in this matter as the gatekeeper of the sport involving our partners in the international community."

The AK said it was unfortunate all this is happening immediately after the Rio Olympics athletics team started its official training camp on Monday.

"This is bound to impact negatively on the morale and cohesion in the team as most of the athletes are members of Rosa Associati."

The athletes in the camp who are managed by the Italian firm includes Kiprop, world 800m bronze medallist Eunice Sum and the reigning London marathon champion Jemima Sumgong.

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