The Cameroon Athletics Federation, in a belated release circulated on Monday, February 26, has clarified misinformation about the identity of a Kenyan athlete who died after finishing the Mount Cameroon Race on Saturday.
Charles Kipsang Kipkorir, 32, collapsed and died at the Molyko Omnisport Stadium hours after crossing the finish line in a race that attracted more than 600 athletes on February 24.
The Athletics Federation said the race was “led for a long time by a Kenyan athlete, Cheboi William Rutto,” contrary to Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai’s statement that the deceased athlete Charles Kipsang had been leading the race.
The Governor was apparently misinformed by those who briefed him. The Athletics Federation, which was directly oversaw the race, did not make things any better by issuing a statement two days later.
Explaining what happened to Charles Kipsang, the Federation wrote: “As at the end of each race, the athletes began to collect their rewards, when a Kenyan athlete, Charles Kipsang Kipkorir, number 229 and ranked 16th at the end of the race, collapsed. He was immediately rescued by the medical teams, who mobilized swiftly to assist him. Unfortunately, during his transfer to Buea Regional Hospital, he gave up the ghost.
“A psychological assistance unit was immediately set up to support the four other Kenyan athletes who took part in the race, as well as all the other athletes,” it said.
Kipsang was among 19 Kenyan athletes who registered for the 29th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race this year.
His unexpected death, which was blamed on a suspected heart attack, shocked Cameroonians who had just witnessed a hitch-free race.
Initially, Charles Kipsang was mistaken for another Kenyan marathoner, William Rutto, who was leading the race but slowed down just a few kilometers to the finish point.
Reports say Rutto suffered muscle cramps at some point and slowed down for several minutes. He later resumed and came sixth in the race that was championed by Cameroonian runner, Elvis Nsabinla.
The distorted information that confused Kipsang for Rutto was fueled by a statement made by South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai during an interview to the press on Saturday evening.
He granted the interview after visiting the Buea Regional Hospital where Charles Kipsang’s body was kept.
Despite getting other facts right during the interview, the Governor said the deceased Kipsang was the athlete who was initially leading the race.
But it was William Rutto, not Kipsang, who led the race.
Several local media and international media, quoting the Governor said, also helped to misinform people on this.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua and the renowned Kenyan news website The Nation, reported that Kipsang was initially reading the race, quoting the Governor.
The Governor’s information blunder has raised questions about the quality of those who provide him information as well as the Cameroon Athletics Federation.
