The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) President, Dr. Paul Tergat,
has urged local athletes to avoid using shortcuts as they pursue their dreams
in the sporting world. Speaking at the sponsorship launch of the Sports
Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA), Dr. Tergat specifically highlighted the
dangers of using performance-enhancing substances, which he believes is the
root cause of failure for many athletes.
Dr. Tergat reminded athletes that there is no shortcut to success and that
resilience is the key to achieving their goals. He also emphasized the
importance of protecting their integrity and being proud of their
achievements by playing clean. Kenya has long faced accusations of
widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs among its athletes, leading
to an increasing number of positive doping tests.
SOYA’s trailblazer award winner, Henry Wanyoikie, and the chairman of the
awards panel, Chris Mbaisi, also echoed similar sentiments and urged athletes
to set a good example by playing smart and clean. Mbaisi also announced that
the schools’ category will not be featured in this year’s awards due to
unavoidable circumstances.
During the event, SOYA received over Sh5 million in cash and in kind from
various sponsors, including Safaricom, Kenya Pipeline Company Limited,
Lotto Foundation, the Communications Authority of Kenya, and the National
Social Security Fund.
Kenyan Athletes Urged to Avoid Shortcuts and Protect
