Oh My! Ezekiel Kemboi Retires In Shame As IAAF Strips Him Of The Bronze Medal He Won Yesterday

Dethroned and humiliated! International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has rubbed saturated salt into Ezekiel Kemboi’s fresh wounds.

Former Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi finished third in men’s 3000m steeplechase in a race that was won by his compatriot, 22-year-old Conseslus Kipruto.

At 34 years, Kemboi was the oldest athlete in the finals, and it was widely expected he would bag his third Olympic gold in Rio having dominated 3000m steeplechase for years.

But as fate would have it, the young energetic Conseslus Kipruto won Kenya its fourth gold. Kemboi finished a distant third and took bronze.

The dethroned king of 3000m steeplechase immediately announced his retirement from the track when he finished third.

“I just want to say today that I am officially retiring from athletics. I want to say thanks to all of my fans over the world – to the people in Kenya [and] my family. Today will be the last athletics [competition] of my career. Thank you.” Kemboi told the press.

Well, just when he thought he was take home his bronze medal, disaster struck. IAAF disqualified him and stripped him of his bronze medal he won.

Frenchman, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, who had finished fourth in the race, appealed against Kemboi for or stepping the track during the final race.

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad and Ezekiel Kemboi in a previous race

IAAF announced the protest filed by the French and decided to disqualify Kemboi after launching a probe into the matter.

“A protest was presented by the French team after the 3000m steeplechase men final against Kenyan athlete Ezekiel Kemboi … claiming he had stepped off the track. An appeal jury met and examined the video of the race, confirming that Kemboi, after clearing a water jump, had stepped outside the track on the curved part before the home straight.” The statement by IAAF statement read.

Oh my! Only a cold Tusker could put an end to the pain being felt right now by this bad news; now a medal has been taken from Team Kenya and this could probably affect our ranking!

Credit: Lets Run