The Chairman of the IAAF Ethics Board, Michael Beloff QC, has today provisionally suspended Major Michael Rotich, manager of the Kenyan Athletics team at the Rio Olympics, from all offices or positions in either Athletics Kenya or the IAAF in the interests of the integrity of the sport. Major Rotich is provisionally suspended from any office or position in either Athletics Kenya or the IAAF which he presently holds and is precluded from assuming any new office or position in either organisation for a period of 180 days starting on 12 August 2016, pending investigation of serious matters which have come to the attention of the IAAF Ethics Board.

The Chairman of the Ethics Board has imposed this Order for Provisional Suspension having carefully considered the information available to the Ethics Board, which discloses a prima facie case, i.e. a case warranting investigation, against Major Rotich in relation to potential subversion of the anti-doping control process in Kenya. The Ethics Board stresses that the imposition of an Order for Provisional Suspension in this case in no way prejudges the outcome of the investigation which will now be carried out by the Board’s appointed investigator, Mr Sharad Rao. Major Rotich remains presumed innocent until the outcome of the investigation and the determination of any disciplinary charges which may follow from that investigation.

The Ethics Board’s appointed investigator, Mr Sharad Rao, is a former Director of Public Prosecutions in Kenya and the current Chairman of the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board, established under the Constitution of Kenya. Mr Rao is also a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and of the Code of Conduct Commission of the International Cricket Council. Any person with relevant information relating to the alleged breaches of the IAAF Code of Ethics is asked to contact Mr Rao by email at [email protected].

• This media release was originally published by the Ethics Board of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on 12 August 2016. To access the original, please click here.