{"id":291056,"date":"2025-11-18T13:25:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/291056\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T13:25:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:25:24","slug":"new-study-shows-that-banned-kenyan-athletes-suffer-from-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/291056\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Shows That Banned Kenyan Athletes Suffer from Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">A new study reveals troubling mental health ramifications for Kenyan runners facing bans from the sport. Amid a major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/29\/world\/africa\/kenya-runners-doping.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/29\/world\/africa\/kenya-runners-doping.html\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"doping crisis\" data-vars-ga-product-id=\"48be5cfa-7ceb-48c6-9d27-ba8a569372a8\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-node-id=\"0.1\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/29\/world\/africa\/kenya-runners-doping.html\" data-product-url=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/29\/world\/africa\/kenya-runners-doping.html\" data-affiliate=\"false\" data-affiliate-network=\"\" data-vars-ga-product-price=\"$0.00\" data-vars-ga-product-retailer-id=\"64654024-9a63-46c4-8760-fd6730db11cc\" data-vars-ga-link-treatment=\"(not set) | (not set)\" class=\"body-link product-links css-b8iqzl e1aq0z090\" data->doping crisis<\/a> that\u2019s plagued the East African nation for decades, the research shows devastating consequences for athletes who test positive for prohibited substances.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"1\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">On November 1, Byron O. Juma and Jules Woolf published a research paper titled, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2211266925000763?ref=pdf_download&amp;fr=RR-2&amp;rr=99d69f414a5d4cae\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2211266925000763?ref=pdf_download&amp;fr=RR-2&amp;rr=99d69f414a5d4cae\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"\u201cThe hidden cost of doping sanctions: examining the experiences of Kenyan athletes sanctioned for violating anti-doping rules.\u201d\" data-node-id=\"1.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cThe hidden cost of doping sanctions: examining the experiences of Kenyan athletes sanctioned for violating anti-doping rules.\u201d<\/a> Juma, an assistant professor at the College of Applied Health Sciences at Emporia State University, and Woolf, a doctor of philosophy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, interviewed 10 Kenyan track and field athletes, who are currently serving or served sanctions, and three anti-doping officials. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The interviews explored the personal, social, and professional effects of bans\u2014conversations that revealed at times disastrous consequences for the athletes and people in their circles navigating the aftermath of sanctions. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Using pseudonyms for participants, the researchers spoke to athletes who specialized in sprints, endurance running, and jumps. Half of those interviewed completed their sanctions while the other half were still serving their bans. As Juma and Woolf outlined, they focused the study on athletes in Kenya because it\u2019s an understudied area that\u2019s considered a \u201chigh-risk country under World Athletics\u2019 anti-doping compliance framework,\u201d with over 135 Kenyan middle and long-distance runners currently serving anti-doping bans\u2014nearly 40 percent of global track and field doping cases. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"5\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The athletes\u2019 experiences reflect significant psychological trauma with little support to help them cope. For example, when each athlete learned they tested positive for a prohibited substance, they said they felt shocked, lost, and overwhelmed. \u201cI did not know where to start, who to talk to, where to go, or how to handle my case. I was one of the most confused people,\u201d one athlete recalled. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The researchers noted the confusion \u201cexposed gaps in anti-doping knowledge even among international competitors and those in AIU (Athlete Integrity Unit) or ADAK\u2019s (Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya) registered testing pools,\u201d with one athlete failing to request a therapeutic use exemption, being notified of the positive test, and continuing to train while assuming they\u2019d eventually be acquitted after providing an explanation by declaring their prescription medication.  <\/p>\n<p><img draggable=\"true\" alt=\"the heart of the kenyan running scene\" title=\"The heart of the Kenyan running scene\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"4500\" height=\"2752\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent;width:100%;height:auto;\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/february-2019-kenya-tambach-a-group-of-kenyan-runners-make-news-photo-1763070869.pjpeg\" class=\"css-0 e1g79fud0\"\/><\/p>\n<p>picture alliance\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Coping strategies<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"9\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Researches wrote the bans were distressing for every athlete with many expressing shame and embarrassment, fearing they would be viewed as deliberate cheaters. \u201cI felt like I was an embarrassment to society. I was a disappointment to my family,\u201d one athlete said. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"10\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Some athletes coped with the situation through avoidance and self-isolation, often for months at a time, which led to worsening psychological trauma. \u201cMost of the time when you have issues like those happen, you isolate yourself, and the more you isolate yourself, the more you think a lot, and that will lead to stress and depression,\u201d one athlete said. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"11\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Another athlete admitted to using alcohol as a way to cope. \u201cI stayed alone. I did not want anybody in the house. I was just staying alone, drinking, and then trying to figure out things,\u201d they said. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Many athletes suffered from anxiety about their future and the ability to financially support themselves and their families during the sanctions. Some even experienced physical manifestations of stress, with one athlete reporting they developed ulcers and needed to go to the hospital.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Because mental health remains stigmatized in Kenyan society\u2014as one athlete noted, \u201cWhen I am stressed, people think I am joking,\u201d while explaining how cultural attitudes discourage people from seeking psychiatric help\u2014many of the athletes interviewed also experienced a lack of social support at their lowest point. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cAthletes struggled with being sanctioned, and for some, this distress escalated into darker thoughts, highlighting the serious mental health consequences of being sanctioned,\u201d the researchers noted. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Of the 10 athletes interviewed, seven reported experiencing suicidal thoughts after being sanctioned. \u201cI remember thinking, \u2018Why don\u2019t I just die?\u2019 I even contemplated throwing myself from the top of the building and letting everything come to an end,\u201d one athlete said. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">After an extended period of isolation, one of the athletes tried to commit suicide in the third month of serving their ban. Her neighbors and friends intervened, and she was able to enter a mental health clinic for several weeks. <\/p>\n<p>Related StorySocial isolation<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">In interviews, many athletes said they felt stigmatized and marginalized within their community\u2014an effect that extended to their immediate and extended family as well\u2014with their reputations permanently damaged. Some said they were mocked with nicknames tied to the substance for which they tested positive, a form of harassment which becomes amplified on social media. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">One of the most troubling findings from the study was athletes sharing how the sanctions often cause strain between immediate and extended family members, many of which depend on financial support from the athlete. Several athletes noted that spousal separation and divorce are common after an athlete is sanctioned. Facing immense shame, one athlete started to abuse alcohol. His wife and children, except for one son who stayed to care for him, left their shared home for a period of time. He said his son ultimately helped him recognize the effect of his actions on the family. Oftentimes, the athletes\u2019 children also face public shame in the community with classmates and friends associating them with their parents. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"21\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">In addition to the economic fallout from professional contracts being terminated, many athletes said they felt abandoned by Athletics Kenya, the country\u2019s track and field federation, in the wake of their ban. The anti-doping officials interviewed in the study admitted Athletics Kenya distances itself from sanctioned athletes and emphasized the lack of psychological support. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"22\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Though they faced huge social and career disruptions in the wake of their respective bans, several athletes noted they were able to reinvent themselves with new vocations, and in some cases, the experience strengthened their family ties. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"23\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Reflecting on their interviews with athletes and anti-doping officials, the researchers emphasized the need for policies that provide mental-health services to help athletes facing bans. They also called on sports organizations to prioritize the athletes\u2019 families and aid in the athletes\u2019 reintegration or separation from track and field, which would help \u201cmitigate unnecessary harm,\u201d they wrote. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"24\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cSuch support will help sanctioned athletes rebuild their lives and contribute positively to society.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Become A Stronger Runner With These Exclusive Training Programs<img decoding=\"async\" data-dynamic-svg=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/arrow-left-regular.dc4f48a.svg?primary=%2523D4D4D4\" loading=\"lazy\" data-testid=\"dynamic-svg-base\" height=\"auto\" width=\"auto\" aria-label=\"Prev carousel button\" alt=\"Chevron Left Icon\" data-theme-key=\"icon-button-icon\" class=\"css-18znc9e ev3kbku0\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" data-dynamic-svg=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/arrow-right-regular.e879c19.svg?primary=%2523fff\" loading=\"lazy\" data-testid=\"dynamic-svg-base\" height=\"auto\" width=\"auto\" aria-label=\"Next carousel button\" alt=\"Chevron Right Icon\" data-theme-key=\"icon-button-icon\" class=\"css-18znc9e ev3kbku0\"\/><img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/aed26b91-2e97-42bd-a936-54927c2fe597_1598376378.file\" alt=\"Headshot of Taylor Dutch\" title=\"Headshot of Taylor Dutch\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"css-o0wq4v ev8dhu53\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner\u2019s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new study reveals troubling mental health ramifications for Kenyan runners facing bans from the sport. Amid a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":291057,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[49,48,84,393,394,44],"class_list":{"0":"post-291056","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-mental-health","12":"tag-mentalhealth","13":"tag-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=291056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=291056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=291056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=291056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}