Javelin icon Julius Yego has sent a soulful message to fellow athletes even as the doping malady continues to plunge Athletics in Kenya.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsYego, who captained Team Kenya at the 2025 World Championships, joins leading voices in the industry in condemning the vice, highlighting its effects on the country's reputation.The 2015 Beijing World Championships gold medalist took to his social media handles following yet another high-profile ban, this time of reigning World Championships marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir.Former Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop announces plans to manufacture running shoes“Over the recent past, we have had a serious spike in cases of doping among our fellow athletes, be it seniors/elite and juniors. This has caused serious injury to the sport and the image of our great country, Kenya,” reads the opening part of Yego’s message.The 37-year-old reminded his colleagues of the glory days that saw him fall in love with the sport and the desire of each athlete to fly the Kenyan flag on the global stage.“We all had ambitions and dreams when young and very green about what to do to reach where our role models had reached. I started loving athletics deeply in 2004 when I watched the Athens Olympics.##NAJAVA_MECA_10066833##I am sure we all remember the 1-2-3 sweep in the steeple chase led by Babayao Ezekiel Kemboi, Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech; it was the sweetest thing to watch and feel. I am sure we loved it, and you were challenged to think and dream that in future you wanted to raise the Kenyan flag high in a major event,” he recalled with nostalgia.Yego went ahead to contrast what he termed as the embarrassing state of Kenyan athletics with the glory days of yore.
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“Our country was respected, applauded and our athletes were admired all over the globe. However, things have changed over the last few years; our image is tainted and the respect we had is diminishing each day over unending and ever-rising cases of doping with our athletes.In fact, on social media we are being labelled as ‘cheats’. Every win by any Kenyan athlete is ‘tagged’; you never know, maybe it is another cheat. It is sad and embarrassing. Our champions who came before us were cheered. They did not cheat; the founder Kip Keino is still remembered and respected world over, together with his group and the champions who came later after him and many more until recently, but why?” he posed.Athletics Kenya's statement on Peres Jepchirchir's doping suspensionIn his pensive address, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist called on athletes to activate their patriotic mode before being involved in any doping activity.“I want to remind you also that before you get to the start line, runway or that ring, remember that we are Kenyans and represent a country whose image in athletics before us was respected, loved and 'feared' in good faith because of its athletic prowess.Please let us not forget this, and we must therefore take our image back to where it was. Train well and smart, compete clean and win clean; we have very young ones who are looking at us as role models; let us not destroy them, let us show them the right way,” he remarked.##NAJAVA_MECA_10067569##The YouTube-inspired javelin legend went ahead to explain the effects of doping beyond the athlete.“Remember the society where we come from, our families, friends and anybody else you connect with because of your talent, put so much respect, belief and trust in us.Let us be considerate to them also. They feel let down and cheated for supporting us. When you get banned, they are hurt; they carry that burden too. They will look back and think that the person they respected and supported was just a fake person who cheated his or her life up, it is painful.Sabastian Sawe, Agnes Ngetich nominated for new World Athletics awardI have seen close friends and colleagues banned; it is equally very tough to accept, but that is life I have come to know about this sport: people who we looked up to and supported in their prime times and tough times just only to get sanctioned and banned, you get shocked, lose trust and everything good you can think of,” added YegoNevertheless, as a true champion, Yego has not lost hope yet and sees a silver lining and a way out of the menace.“Rules and regulations that govern this sport were not brought to punish any athlete but to protect the clean athletes. Keep in mind that after we exit, many more champions are coming up.World Athletics explain major factor that won Kenya 2029 World Championships bidIt has become tough lately, but I think we can redeem our image by doing what the legends did; Stay true to the rules and regulations of the sport. Run Clean, Win Clean,” he concluded.