NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Banned New Zealand Olympic runner Zane Robertson was arrested in Kenya over allegations of sexual assault and possession of an unlicensed AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition at his house within the East African nation, police mentioned Thursday.
Police obtained a courtroom order to maintain Robertson in custody for 5 days whereas they query him and examine. He appeared in a courtroom on Thursday for a brief listening to. Police mentioned he can be charged beneath the sexual offenses act and for unlawful possession of a firearm after the investigation is full.
Robertson was arrested Wednesday at his house within the city of Iten in western Kenya, one of many world’s most well-known coaching bases for long-distance runners. He and his twin brother moved to Kenya as youngsters years in the past to pursue their operating ambitions.
Robertson, 33, is at present serving an eight-year ban from observe and subject for testing optimistic for the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO and for making up an elaborate story a couple of COVID-19 vaccination gone flawed in an try to elucidate his failed doping check.
The legal allegations towards Robertson stem from a celebration at his house in Iten on Tuesday night time at which a lady mentioned she was sexually assaulted, Keiyo Sub County Police Commander Tom Makori mentioned. An unidentified Kenyan citizen was additionally arrested and also will face fees, police mentioned.
Police discovered an unlicensed AK-47 and 23 rounds of ammunition in Robertson’s home after they searched it after occupants initially refused to let police inside, Makori mentioned. Robertson left the property in handcuffs and with a blanket over his head.
The New Zealander gained a bronze medal within the 5,000 meters on the 2014 Commonwealth Video games and competed on the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, when he ran within the marathon and completed outdoors the highest 30. He examined optimistic for the banned substance at a race in 2022.
In an interview when his ban was introduced in March, he admitted to taking EPO, which is uncommon for top-level athletes discovered responsible of doping. He mentioned he took the banned substance simply as soon as as a result of he was annoyed and indignant that he was struggling for ends in his profession and believed different athletes had been getting away with doping.
“Many causes, and it’s not only one specific purpose,” Robertson advised Runners Solely in a podcast on why he determined to cheat. “I hate it a lot and it’s only a one-off hit, and I received caught. It’s been constructing on me just a few years. Frustration and anger on the sport itself.”
Robertson’s four-year ban was doubled to eight years as a result of he submitted false statements from Kenyan hospital officers and others to help his lie that the EPO received into his system when he went to get a COVID-19 vaccination and as an alternative was injected with a remedy for the virus that contained EPO.
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Imray reported from Cape City, South Africa.
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AP Africa information: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
