Athletics Kenya (AK) Chief Administrative Officer Susan Kamau believes the shocking murder of the 2015 World Cross Country champion Agnes Tirop sparked a wave of change towards gender equity in the sport in the country.
Tirop died in 2021 after what is believed to be a domestic brawl with her partner at their home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Kamau said the demise of the two-time women’s 10,000m bronze medalist highlighted just how much gender-based violence (GBV) is entrenched in Kenyan athletics and hence the need to tackle it head-on.
“It was a rude awakening…her untimely death changed the landscape of the sport and highlighted the need to enlighten athletes on the need to speak up against GBV.
"As AK, we had to redirect resources towards awareness campaigns and empowering of the girls' child so female athletes can gain the courage to stand up and speak against such vices, as sexual harassment, domestic violence and unscrupulous agents,” she said.
Kamau was speaking during Gender Leadership Seminar at Budapest 23 hosted by Asics, where she was one of the panelists.
In wake of Tirop’s death, the federation conducted countrywide consultative meetings with stakeholders in the sector concerning deep-rooted issues affecting athletes, coaches, agents and administrators, among others.
Some of the issues that cropped up during the deliberations – undertaken across the country– included sexual exploitation of young, upcoming female athletes, domestic GBV, and unscrupulous athletes handling personnel.
Kamau further said the federation —via the youth development committee—have formulated a holistic approach to talent nurturing and development, which seeks to provide all upcoming athletes with opportunities to expose their talents at the highest levels. Kamau said AK had also engaged a lawyer to look into issues of GBV.
“We have worked hard in ensuring that all young and upcoming athletes, both male and female, have equal opportunities to compete and showcase their talents from a young age.
"For the past two years, we had holiday training camps across the country where promising talents from local communities were domiciled and provided with training ahead of the trials for the World Under 20 Championships …first in Nairobi in 2021 and then in Cali, Colombia last year,” she said.
Kamau added: “These training camps were not only about preparing them to compete on the track and field but also to remind all the athletes about the need to work hard in school and do well in academics. They were also empowered on the dangers of doping, benefits of discipline and hard work as well as their rights as athletes who work under coaches and agents.”
