Nairobi, Jan 16 (IANS): Athletes agent Federico Rosa of Italy and coach Claudio Berardille have announced they have cut any contact with Kenyan marathon runner Rita Jeptoo, who has been reprimanded for failing a dope test.
Rosa has also been the agent of the 33-year-old Chicago and Boston Marathon champion while Berardille, also from Italy, has been working with her as coach, reports Xinhua.
"I cut my relationship with Rita (Jeptoo) the moment she failed the dope test. I have a career and business to protect and I have nothing to do with her," said Rosa, when he appeared before the Athletics Kenya (AK) medical commission to give his version of whatever role he played in her getting nabbed for cheating.
Berardille, who has a training camp in Eldoret, said though Jeptoo was in his camp, she will not be welcomed now that she has been branded a cheat.
"I will be waiting for the official version from AK before I say anything. But she has been my athlete and I had no connection with her doping. But she will be around, but not in my camp," said Berardille Friday.
"I still have so many Kenyan athletes that I deal with and I will continue to work with them."
Jeptoo failed an out-of-competition dope test Sep 25 last year, with the result being announced just a day prior to her collecting her World Marathon Majors (WMM) crown, which comes with $500,000 to boot. Her blood sample had tested positive for the performance enhancing drug EPO.
AK CEO Isaac Mwangi said the appearance before the medical commission of Jeptoo, Berardille, Rosa and Noah Busienei (Jeptoo's ex-husband) shed a lot of light on the mystery surrounding doping in the country and they have to ascertain some of the information before going pubic.
However, for the moment, it is evident Jeptoo will face a ban.
Jeptoo, a three-time Boston Marathon and two-time Chicago Marathon winner, was in November summoned to AK headquarters over the positive dope test.
Professional Athletes Association of Kenya secretary Julius Ndegwa accused AK officials of demanding bribes from athletes who have tested positive.