Kipyegon Bett, former world under-20 athletics champion, has passed away at the age of 26 in Bomet, Kenya, following a brief illness.
Bett, a talented 800m runner, secured the junior world title in 2016 before winning a bronze medal at the senior World Championships in London the following year.
However, his promising career was interrupted in 2018 when he received a four-year suspension for a doping violation, and he struggled to regain form upon his return.
His sister, Purity Kirui, told BBC Sport Africa that Bett had been suffering from severe stomach pain for nearly a month. Doctors diagnosed him with a liver condition, and he had been in and out of hospital during this period.
“Last week we took him to hospital after he started vomiting blood and he was admitted. I went to see him [on Sunday] morning and he told me he was in pain.
“He told our dad, who is a pastor, to pray for him because he didn’t feel he would survive and after 12 noon he died. We tried everything to save him, but he left us. It’s very painful,” she said.
Bett’s career was derailed in 2018 when he was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for failing to provide a doping sample. He later tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned substance. At the time, Bett was only 20 years old, and the ban had a profound impact on his life.
Kirui, a steeplechase runner and 2014 Commonwealth gold medallist, said her brother became depressed and developed unhealthy habits during his suspension. Despite efforts to help him overcome his struggles, Bett continued to face difficulties.
Although Bett’s suspension ended in August 2022, but he found it difficult to return to competitive athletics.
Kenya has made major investments in anti-doping efforts, but more than 70 athletes have been sanctioned for violations in recent years.
Concerns have been raised about the future of these efforts due to a sharp reduction in the budget for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).