Two Kenyan athletes who defected to Bahrain should be prevented from representing the Gulf state at the Arab Games in Algeria, Kenyan officials declared today.
Kenyans were furious when Stephen Cherono won the 3,000 metres steeplechase for Qatar at the world championships in Paris last month, running after switching nationality.
In a letter to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), David Okeyo, secretary general of Athletics Kenya (AK,) tried to avoid a repeat of the Cherono embarrassment by urging the sport's ruling body to stop Abel Cheruiyot and Leonard Mucheru from representing Bahrain.
Okeyo said he had been informed that Cheruiyot and Mucheru would be running for Bahrain under the newly-adopted names of Abel Yagut Jowhar and Mushir Salim Jowhar but he said Bahrain had not followed protocol.
Athletes who changed their citizenship could only represent their new countries within one year if both federations agreed, Okeyo said, as was the case with Cherono, now known as Saif Saaeed Shaheen.
Okeyo said Cheruiyot and Mucheru had not contacted the Kenyan federation and their move therefore broke the rules.
"Bahrain Athletic Federation has neither contacted IAAF nor Athletics Kenya on their intention to have the said athletes run for them as citizens of Bahrain," Okeyo wrote to IAAF.
"This is a breach of our rules... The said athletes should therefore not be allowed to run in the said Games or any other meets until this matter is resolved amicably."
Cheruiyot was scheduled to take part in the 3,000m steeplechase on Monday and Mucheru in the 5,000 on Tuesday.