Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic marathon champion, shared his distress over the online abuse he faced following the tragic death of fellow Kenyan marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum.
Kipchoge, who has long been a prominent figure in long-distance running, was wrongfully linked to Kiptum’s fatal car accident in February, leading to a cascade of false accusations and threats against him and his family.
The death of Kiptum, the world record holder in the marathon, ignited a wave of online speculation.
Some social media users began suggesting that Kipchoge was involved in a conspiracy to cause the accident.
The baseless rumors spread quickly, resulting in an outpouring of hateful messages and threats.
“I was shocked that people [on] social media platforms are saying ‘Eliud is involved in the death of this boy’,” Kipchoge told BBC Sport Africa.
The 39-year-old athlete found himself at the center of a firestorm of abuse, with online threats escalating to the point where he feared for the safety of his family and home.
His first instinct upon encountering these false accusations was to ensure his family’s safety.
Kipchoge described how he had to alter his children’s routines, ensuring they were escorted to and from school.
“I got really scared of my children going to school and coming back,” he said.
“Sometimes they bike around, but we had to stop them because you never know what will happen.”
The emotional toll extended beyond his immediate family.
Kipchoge detailed the devastating impact the abuse had on his mother, who provided him with comfort during this challenging time despite her own fears.
“She gave me courage. It was really a tough month,” he said, recalling their conversations.
Despite the threats and turmoil, Kipchoge chose not to alter his training or daily life, emphasizing the open nature of his sport and his commitment to staying visible.
He noted that the public nature of his profession made it impractical to hide away or change locations.
The false accusations and online abuse had a tangible impact on Kipchoge’s relationships and performance.
He revealed that he lost about 90% of his friends due to the controversy, adding, “It was really painful for me to learn even from my own people, my training mates, those who I have contact with, and the bad words are coming from them.”
The stress also affected his athletic performance; his 10th-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon in March was his worst result since his marathon debut in 2013.
While Kipchoge’s team took him off social media to shield him from further abuse, he chose not to delete his accounts, believing it would suggest guilt.
Instead, he called for social media platforms to take stronger action against abuse, encouraging them to delete abusive accounts promptly and enforce stricter policies.
Despite the setback, Kipchoge remains determined to continue his career and focus on his goals.
He has been named to Kenya’s marathon team for the Paris 2024 Olympics, aiming to become the first person to win three successive Olympic marathon titles.
The International Olympic Committee has announced plans to proactively tackle online abuse during the Paris 2024 Games.
Kipchoge welcomed these efforts, hoping they would prevent other athletes from facing the same ordeal.
However, the experience has left him questioning the permanence of friendships and feeling deeply scarred by the entire episode.
“I learned that friendship cannot be forever,” he said. “What happened has [made] me not trust anybody. Even my own shadow, I will not trust.”
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