Edo 2020: Kiprop, Kenyan Who Represented Bayelsa Has Been Stripped of Gold Medal - National Team Coach Reveals

  Edo 2020: Kiprop, Kenyan Who Represented Bayelsa Has Been Stripped of Gold Medal - National Team Coach By Niyi Busari It seems the last has been heard about Bravin Kiprop, a Kenyan who reprsented Bayelsa State in the 10,000 meter race in the just-concluded National Sports Festival in Edo State, BSNSports.com.ng can report. BSN Sports had reported that Bravin Kiprop who doesn't possess Nigeria passport represented Bayelsa and emerged winner in the long race. The news was later debunked by the Bayelsa State government saying that the Kenyan is a dual citizen, possessing both Nigeria and Kenyan passports. https://bsnsports.com.ng/edo-2020-athlete-demands-disqualification-of-kenyan-who-represented-bayelsa-in-10000m/ According to the result sheet, Bravin finished the race at 30:12.96 to pick the gold medal for Bayelsa while Ismael Sadjo who represented Cross Rivers claimed the silver medal and Muazu Adamu of Team Plateau came 3rd at 30:13.78 and 30:53.31 respectively. [caption id="attachment_46198" align="alignnone" width="225"] Bravin Kiprop in Kenya[/caption] Kiprop who won in controversial circumstance was immediately hidden away from the media for interview and couldn't be found in Benin City after the race. He was not available when medals were being presented to winners, his name was announced as winner in absentia at the mainbowl of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, two days before the closing ceremony Investigation revealed that the runners-up in the race, Ismael Sadjo had similar problem when he took part in the previous National Sports Festival representing Cross River State. In his case, the coaches of different states that contested against Cross Rivers  in the race protested by writing an official protest letters. And before the judgement on the protest could be made, Sadjo had got a Nigerian passport while the state officials claimed that Cameroon and Cross River State share the same border and has always been a Nigerian whose family are based in Cameroon. Since then, Sadjo has been representing the state. Kiprop on the other hand, does not have Nigeria passport according to the Nigeria National Team coach in the long race, Steve Nuhu who spoke with BSN Sports. Contrary to Bayelsa State government stance that Bravin has dual citizenship, the coaches of other teams whose athletes contested with Bravin also confirmed to BSN Sports that Kiprop does not have Nigeria passport. According to them, AFN Technical Director, Brown Ebewele asked them to permit him to participate in the long race final (shortly before the final race) and advised that they should protest after completion of the race. Further investigation also revealed that to file a protest in such situation, the sum of N50,000 will be accompanied with the letter and at least three or four competing states must write letters for committee to sit and take decision on the matter. Surprisingly, no coach or offiacial from other states wrote protest letter to the organisers, according to the coaches who spoke on condition of anonymity, said writing protest letters with Fifty thousand naira is a waste of money because their protest may not yield expected result at the end of the day. Tamurice Terimoh, Head Coach Bayelsa State Athletics Association and former long distance runner denied having a Kenyan in his team reprsenting Bayelsa State in the long distance race at the just-concluded Edo 2020. "Simon Emeji is the one who has gold medal in the 10,000m men finals and also a gold medal at the pole vault event. We discovered our brother and our son and we featured him and actually he made us proud and we are very much proud of him and the athletics team." Meanwhile, the National Team Long Distance coach, Steve Nuhu confirmed to BSN Sports in an exclusive interview that Kiprop Bravin actually represented Bayelsa State, won the gold medal and revealed that he has been stripped of the medal. "You will notice that guy from Kenya (Kiprop) that ran for Bayelsa State. You know this is one of the problem we are having and right now, as it is, I understand that the medal has been given to Cross Rivers. This means that the boy has been disqualified. They announced him as the winner but it is wrong because he was not registered. He was an athlete for Bayelsa, he won but we complained that he was not a Nigerian and the National Sports Festival supposed to be a Nigerian race. There was no protest letter from us and until the time we left, the boy was still the winner but I just been told that the medal was given to Akwa Ibom and that the boy was not even a Nigerian so the medal was withdrawn from him. Nuhu told BSN Sports. He continued, "In any case, what we want is a Nigerian winning medals at the National Sports Festival. Will.the boy represent Nigeria? To know knowledge, ho doesn't have Nigeria passport, what he has is Kenyan passport. Will he come here to stay? Will he agree to nationalize? But you know the process of nationalization takes about three years which means he would not be qualified to represent Nigeria at the Olympics."