Teso athletes warned against age cheating

Athletes in Teso have been urged to desist from age cheating, a practice that undermines the integrity of their running careers and threatens to damage the country’s image on the international stage.

Aggrey Ogol, a coach with Uganda Athletics (UA), issued the warning while addressing athletes during the Hebron Omax Memorial Track and Field Run held on Saturday in the district.

He explained that age cheating occurs when athletes falsify their birth credentials to gain an unfair advantage over competitors, grossly undermining the integrity of competitions and discouraging honest athletes from participating.

Ogol, who represented UA President Dominic Otucet at the annual event, encouraged parents, coaches, and athletes to uphold the value of age verification and ethics in the sport in order to create an environment where honesty and integrity prevail.

“I am appealing to all athletes in Teso and Uganda to desist from age cheating. The repercussions of age cheating bring forth credibility issues and catch the attention of the international body, World Athletics, which has banned several athletes implicated in such acts,” Ogol said.

The half-day competition drew athletes from schools, private clubs, and tertiary institutions across Amuria, Soroti district, Soroti city, Ngora, Bukedea, Kaberamaido, Moroto, Kaabong, Kotido, Kalaki, Serere, Kumi, and Abim. The event was held in memory of Hebron Omax Omeda, a renowned sports enthusiast in the region.

According to UA President Dominic Otucet, the local athletics body views the Omeda memorial run as another avenue where athletes can qualify for international competitions by achieving set times.

He noted that memorial runs such as Omeda, Etolu, and Akii Bua help identify athletes who have excelled and clocked times that meet the standards for other competitions.

James Isamat, Chairperson of the North East Region Athletics Association, applauded athletes for taking part in the run. He called upon districts in Teso and Karamoja to continue sending athletes to the annual events, which are designated for grooming talent from the grassroots level.

The top three finishers in each race—including the 100m, 400m, 1500m, 5000m, long jump, triple jump, discus, javelin, and high jump—walked away with cash prizes.