Sports fans criticise three-year jail term for banned substance peddler

When the country’s world beaters stomp the dusty roads of Iten in their long runs, often before sunrise, the country’s hope of medals at international championships is even higher.

However, amidst the sweat and dust in chilly mornings, doping cartels who pose as athletes while running side by side with stars, are plotting ways of introducing to them performance enhancing drugs.

On Friday, the JKIA Court in Nairobi found Aman Malik, an 18-year-old Indian teenager guilty of unlawfully importing and transporting some of the prohibited substances that have caused several Kenyan athletes to be banned for years and shamed a nation that has dominated the global stage for years.

Malik, who was arrested by Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) investigators in a house in Iten where he was found in possession of the performance enhancing drugs and injectable equipment was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Sh1 million after he was found guilty of four offences.

The accused person was found with masking agents (meldonium, levocarnitine, dipyridamole and mannitol), energy boosters (Caffeine blends, Panax Ginseng, Cordyceps sinensis, coenzyme Q-10) and Amino Acids and metabolic supplements among other substances prohibited by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

But the three-year sentence and Sh1 million fine triggered questions and concern sports stakeholders who argued that the punishment was lenient.

Sports enthusiasts took to social media to criticise the sentencing, with many calling for harsher penalties to deter sale drugs to unsuspecting athletes with intentions to compete unfairly.

“It should be life (sentence). Those substances messes athletes for life. The peddler should suffer the same consequences,” said Chebet Too.

Kiptoo Bosuben said: “The sentence is too lenient to him, 25 years should have been fair; my opinion.”

“He seems to be a saboteur sent to meddle with our regarded athletes. He should have been given a stiffer sentence,” Naftali Kahure said.

In her introduction, JKIA Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku said there was a dark cloud looming on the horizon regarding Kenya and its participation in athletics on the global stage.

She noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had issued ADAK a 21-day notice to explain why action should not be taken against Kenya for not doing enough to fight the menace.

“Faster Higher, Stronger – Together” is the Olympic motto that galvanizes and unites people across the world. For nearly 16 days every four years, the people of all ages and nations are glued to their devices watching their favorite sport or race and most of the times supporting their country to cheer them for gold. Most often settle for silver and bronze. Many also keep track of their medal scores to see how well their country performed,” Thuku said in her sentencing remarks.

The four counts that Malik faced are unlawful importation of drugs and transporting prohibited substances (three counts).

His lawyer David Lusweti had pleaded with the court for leniency, arguing that the Indian teenager was misguided.

“His involvement in this crime, according to Mr Lusweti is borne out of ambition, immaturity and poor judgment,” the court heard.

ADAK had told the court that Malik posed as an athlete and travelled to Iten, where thousands of runners train every day, to peddle the prohibited substances.

ADAK welcomed the sentencing, saying it reflects its seriousness in fighting the doping menace.

“The conviction and sentencing of Malik demonstrates that Kenya’s legal and regulatory frameworks are operational and effective in protecting clean athletes,” acting ADAK CEO Peninah Wahome said in a statement.