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This week, the Kenya Athletics Association launched one Press release where they react strongly to an image of several syringes allegedly taken near the Kamariny Stadium in Athens, Kenya.
The federation has yet to respond to Nettavisen’s investigation, but states in the press release that the image released by a Norwegian journalist is intended to put Kenya in a bad situation.
It was the Swedish Express that first mentioned that it is the Norwegian journalist Arve E. Bergan that the Kenyan federation refers to.
Bergan also confirms to Nettavisen that it was he who posted the current image on the Facebook page “Athletics World News”, one of several Facebook pages that Bergan runs on athletics and anti-doping work.
Also read: FIS document reveals new details about doping scandal across the country
Fear for the safety of their sources.
He explains that the reactions didn’t wait until after he posted the image on April 23.
– It is very overwhelming what has happened. There has been a massive criticism against me, Bergan tells Nettavisen.
The criticism not only came from the Kenyan federation, but several Kenyans have criticized Bergan a lot through Facebook.
Bergan explains that he has written about doping and anti-doping work since 2013, but has never experienced similar reactions.
He says he now fears who will take the picture and that he is concerned for his safety.
“That is my biggest concern now and not what is written about me,” says Bergan.
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CREATING REACTIONS: This image has caused more people in Kenya to react.
Photo: (Private)
Asking for evidence
For its part, the Kenya Athletics Federation believes the image only leads to speculation and asks for evidence that the image is actually from Iten.
– We do not believe that doping in Kenya has reached the level that practitioners are doing completely openly, he writes, among other things, in the press release.
At the same time, the union says they have nothing to hide and are open to discussing any doping investigations in the country.
At the same time, they urge Bergan to identify where the photograph was taken and who is involved.
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– Don’t try to hang out in Kenya
Bergan insists that the image is not “false news” at all.
He claims that the photo was taken about 100 meters from the stadium, but that the location of the place is such that both parties cannot put one photo together.
– We’ve checked it again, says Bergan.
The journalist also states that the purpose of publishing the photo has not been to hang out with Kenya and Kenya. He points out that there are also practitioners from many other nations who train in the area.
Bergan also commented on the “Anti-doping World” Facebook page, where he received several reactions from Kenyans accusing him of spreading lies.
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Police are investigating the case.
Kenya has long experienced a major problem related to blood doping in sports.
In 2016, the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) placed Kenya in Category A across all nations to comply with anti-doping regulations.
On Wednesday, the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation reports that police have launched an investigation into the image Bergan published.
The newspaper writes that investigators linked to the Iten Police Station in Elgeyo Marakwet County will investigate the matter.
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