Former Kenya athletics head Rotich banned 10 years for corruption

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Michael Rotich, former head coach of Kenya's national track and field team, has been banned from athletics for 10 years after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) found him guilty of "dishonest and corrupt" conduct.

He is also provisionally banned from his coaching job by the athletics world governing body.

The IAAF's ethics panel found that Rotich, who managed the Kenyan athletics team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, agreed to give advance notice of drugs tests to athletes and coaches in return for money.

The allegations stemmed from an undercover Sunday Times investigation in which they secretly filmed Rotich apparently making an offer to provide prior warning of drugs tests in return for 10,000 pounds (around 12,600 U.S. dollars).

He also offered to provide excuses which athletes could use to avoid being penalized for missing tests.

"The panel reiterates that the charges which it has found to be established are serious," the statement said.

"The conduct of Major Rotich was dishonest and corrupt. He sought to undermine anti-doping controls and to obtain a personal financial benefit in doing so."

Kenyan long-distance runners warm up in preparation for the Rio Olympics in Eldoret, Kenya, July 19, 2016. /VCG Photo

The statement said that it had found no evidence that Rotich did, in fact, provide advance notice of doping tests nor that he had ever received payments, but he "acted corruptly and in deliberate violation of core principles" of IAAF's code of ethics.

Rotich's representatives have not been immediately available for comment.

Meanwhile, Kip Keino, former President of National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and a double Olympic gold medalist, called for those who use athletes for their own benefit to be jailed.

"We don't need selfish people in this country. We need people who guide athletes towards achieving results through fair play," he said.

(With input from AFP and Reuters)