Tragic Death of Rebecca Cheptegei Shocks East African Sports Community

Tragic Death of Rebecca Cheptegei Shocks East African Sports Community. Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died, just days after being attacked by her boyfriend in Kenya. The incident, which took place on Sunday, involved Cheptegei being doused in petrol and set on fire. She sustained severe burns covering over 75% of her body.

Cheptegei, who competed in the Paris Olympics and finished 44th, was hospitalized in Eldoret, a city in Kenya’s Rift Valley, following the attack. Her death marks the third instance of a female athlete being killed in Kenya since October 2021.

Donald Rukare, president of the Uganda Olympics Committee, confirmed the news on X and expressed deep sorrow over Cheptegei’s passing. He condemned the violence against women and called for peace for her soul.

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Rebecca Cheptegei passed away at 5:30 a.m. this morning due to organ failure, according to Owen Menach, senior director of clinical services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. A comprehensive report on the circumstances surrounding her death is expected to be released later today.

Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen expressed that Cheptegei’s death is a significant loss for the entire region. He stated that this tragic event underscores the urgent need to address gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected elite sports in recent years.

Uganda’s athletics federation has called for justice for Cheptegei. Peter Ogwang, Uganda’s minister of state for sports, confirmed that Kenyan authorities are investigating the incident, which has brought attention to the broader issue of violence against women in East Africa.

Government data from 2022 reveals that nearly 34% of Kenyan girls and women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, with married women being particularly vulnerable. The survey also indicated that 41% of married women have faced violence.

A report from UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime highlighted that African countries reported the highest number of female killings in 2022, both in total numbers and relative to the continent’s female population.

This incident follows the October 2021 murder of Kenyan Olympian Agnes Tirop, who was found dead with multiple stab wounds. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, has been charged with her murder and has pleaded not guilty. The case is still in court.

Tirop’s death shocked Kenya, leading to the establishment of ‘Tirop’s Angels’ in 2022, a group dedicated to combating domestic violence. Joan Chelimo, one of the founders, noted that female athletes are often vulnerable to exploitation and violence from men who are attracted to their financial success, describing how they can become entangled with predators posing as romantic partners.

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