NAIROBI - Italian athletics coach Claudio Berardelli, who is facing charges of doping Kenyan athletes, was on Tuesday released on a 200,000 shillings ($1978) cash bail.
The agent of disgraced Kenyan marathoner Rita Jeptoo, Federico Rosa (L), and her coach Claudio Berardelli (R) arrive at the Athletics Kenya headquarters in Nairobi in 2015
Berardelli, who has been in Kenyan police custody since July 5, becomes the second Italian to appear in court after his former boss, Federico Rosa, facing similar charges, was also released on a 300,000 ($2,960) cash bail on Friday.
Berardelli was the lead coach with Federico's Rosa and Associati management team before his contract was terminated last October.
He coached some of Kenya's top athletes including the disgraced woman marathon star, Rita Jeptoo and former world 1500m champion Janet Jepkosgei.
Some of the athletes were at the Nairobi's Milimani Law court when Berardelli, 36, appeared before the chief magistrate, Daniel Ogembo on Tuesday..
During the hearing Kenyan state prosecutor, Duncan Ondimu requested to have Berardelli detained for a further 10 days to facilitate in-depth investigations into doping which has threatened Kenya’s participation the Rio Olympic Games.
But Ogembo declined the request to have Berardelli remanded in police custody for further 10 days, saying the prosecution had not tendered any compelling reasons to warrant his further detention.
"Athletics is a national heritage, and the courts will not cow away from defending it jealously", said Ogembo.
Kenyan athletics was caught up in a fresh doping storm at the weekend when an investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper alleged that doping was rife at the elite training centre in Iten.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act "quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport".
Over the past three years some 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests.