Kenyan athlete Kipyegon Bett dies at the age of 26

Kenyan athlete Kipyegon Bett, who won a bronze medal in the 800m at the 2017 World Championships in London, has passed away at the age of 26 due to renal and hepatic failure.

Bett first gained recognition as a champion at the U20 World Championships in 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and was viewed as one of Kenya’s brightest middle-distance talents. However, his career took a downturn in 2018 when he was suspended for doping after testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a substance known to enhance athletic performance. Bett consistently denied using the drug.

After completing his suspension in August 2022, Bett faced ongoing mental health challenges. His sister reported that he struggled with depression and developed an alcohol addiction over the subsequent years.

Bett was hospitalized last week in his hometown of Kericho and was readmitted on Friday as his health worsened.

Despite substantial investments in anti-doping initiatives since the 2016 Rio Olympics, Kenya has seen over 70 of its athletes banned in the last three years.

Recently, the World Anti-Doping Agency expressed concerns to Kenya’s sports ministry regarding major cuts to the operational budget of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak). This year, Adak’s budget was slashed from $2.32 million to just $155,000, raising alarms about its potential impact on the integrity of Kenyan athletics.