Doping, Corruption and Athlete Exploitation in Kenyan & Ethiopian Distance Running

Matt interviews high performance coach Selva Yoga after Selva’s earlier comments about doping in elite distance running. Selva says he has coached Kenyan and Ethiopian marathoners across a wide performance range and argues that while some athletes dope for financial reasons, clean environments do exist. Selva has worked with athletes with PBs as fast as 2:25-2:07 (male) and 2:38 (female). And has personally coached athletes from 2:26 to 2:16

The discussion covers how athletes are caught through in and out of competition testing, missed tests, and biological passport irregularities, alongside claims of uneven enforcement. Silva alleges corruption within parts of Kenyan athletics, including bribery, advance warning of tests, falsified medical exemptions, age manipulation, and financial exploitation by managers. He also raises serious concerns about coercion and abuse of young athletes. Specific managers and high profile cases are discussed, with Silva often framing his claims as based on accounts shared with him rather than direct proof.

They also examine well known training groups and athletes, with Selva careful not to make direct accusations without evidence. He emphasizes that both Kenya and Ethiopia have strong, clean systems alongside problematic ones, and that incentives, culture, and financial structures often shape risk. The episode closes with Silva inviting athletes to connect with his Toronto based Northern Endurance Project.

Northern Endurance Project Instagram: instagram.com/northern.endurance

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Matt
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Topics:

00:00 Podcast Comment Sparks Debate
01:23 Coach Background and Philosophy
06:10 Brother Colm and Kipruto Ban
07:03 Mafias and Drug Access
15:09 Sexual Harassment by Managers
22:22 Athletics Kenya Testing Reality
24:16 Are Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge Doping?
31:38 How the Truth Emerges
33:42 Was David Rudisha Clean?
35:12 Coaching Ethics and Trust
37:24 Good Coaches in Kenya
38:22 Renato Canova Under the Microscope
42:48 How Drugs Get Bought in Kenya
49:35 Blame the System Not Athletes
53:41 Wrap Up and Contact Info

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