Athletics
Riches to Rags: Athlete who bagged millions, now living in poverty
Not many of the younger generation might have heard of former Kenyan athlete Delilah Asiago, but sports enthusiasts fondly remember her as one of the elite long-distance runners who took the world by storm for almost two decades.
Known for her speed and agility, Asiago flew the Kenyan flag high in major international competitions scooping gold medals in events such as Steamboat Classic where she set a world record, All Africa Games, World Championships, Bay to Breakers event where she set a 12 kilometre world record among others.
She was also feted as Road Racer of the Year in 1995 by Running Times.
Despite having a notable name, the former World record holder is currently languishing in poverty.
From scooping gold medals to picking tea in Cherangany, Trans Nzoia County, where did it all go wrong for the elite Kenyan athlete?
Speaking to Citizen TV, Asiago noted that her woes began in 1999 when she was banned for two years due to doping allegations.
She defended herself by stating that she fell ill and took medicine which later tested positive for doping substances.
Seeking to reclaim her lost glory, Asiago made a momentous comeback and clinched medals in events such as the Great Lake Marathon in 2002, Nairobi Marathon in 2003, Rotterdam marathon in 2004 and, the Dubai Marathon in 2006. She participated in the 2008 Cross-Country Ngong racecourse event as the final race in her career.
The Dubai marathon, reports indicate, is among the world’s most lucrative sports events, where the winner scoops Ksh20 million and an additional Ksh10 million for breaking the world record.
More than a decade later, however, she stated that life took a turn for the worse as she struggled to make ends meet.
According to the former athlete, part of the millions she won during the events was used to construct a house for her parents in Nakuru. She also delved to invest in other properties but currently could not account for all the millions she gained during her heydays.
The marathoner urged the government to step in and take care of athletes and save them from abject poverty. Further, Asiago issued a word of advice to all athletes to always save part of the money for future use.
“To all athletes, please try and save part of the money you get after winning the events. Do not try and misuse the money otherwise you may end up in an unfortunate situation picking tea at a farm,” Asiago advised all Kenyan athletes.
Her plight comes on the heels of Kenyan athletes shining during the recently held 2020 Tokyo Olympics where they scooped ten medals comprising of four gold, four silver, and two bronze medals.
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A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and WADA.
The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.
Here is the full statement of CAS.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by
World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).
Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.
The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month
period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.
The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.
Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.
She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.
The athlete was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.
The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.
CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”
Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.
She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.
World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.
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