Ugandan Olympic Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Brutal Attack

Summary

• Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei passed away after being set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya.
• Cheptegei suffered burns on over 75% of her body and succumbed to her injuries four days after the attack.
• She is the third prominent sportswoman to be killed in Kenya since 2021, highlighting growing violence against female athletes.

SEPTEMBER, 5 2024 – The world of sports has been struck with a heartbreaking tragedy. Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, passed away on Thursday after being set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya. This latest violent attack has not only shocked the sporting community but also reignited conversations about the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, especially among elite female athletes.

Cheptegei, who represented Uganda in the Paris Olympics and finished 44th in the marathon, sustained burns to more than 75% of her body in the horrific attack, which took place on Sunday. She fought for her life for four days in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in the Kenyan city of Eldoret, where she was admitted after the attack. The hospital’s senior director, Owen Menach, confirmed that she succumbed to her injuries after multiple organ failure.

Cheptegei’s death marks the third high-profile killing of a sportswoman in Kenya since October 2021, further underscoring a disturbing pattern of violence against women in sports. This wave of violence against female athletes has sent shockwaves through the region.

Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen described her death as a tragic loss for the entire East African region. In a statement, he urged for stronger measures to combat gender-based violence, saying, “This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles.”

The attack on Cheptegei has brought fresh calls for justice, not only from her family but from the wider sporting community. Donald Rukare, President of the Uganda Olympics Committee, expressed deep sorrow over her passing and condemned the attack. "May her gentle soul rest in peace, and we strongly condemn violence against women," he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Uganda's athletics federation and Cheptegei’s family have both called for justice. Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, urged the authorities to protect her children and properties, revealing that a land dispute may have played a role in the attack.

The Ugandan Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, confirmed that Kenyan authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the killing, as it has cast a glaring spotlight on the violence many women in the region endure.

Kenya, like many African nations, faces a serious issue of gender-based violence. According to government data, nearly 34% of Kenyan women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, with married women being particularly at risk. A 2022 report from the UN Women and UN Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that African countries had the highest number of femicides globally, making the fight against gender-based violence all the more urgent.

The sports community was similarly rocked in October 2021 when Olympian runner Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death, allegedly by her husband. Tirop’s death led to the founding of Tirop’s Angels, a non-profit organization aimed at combating domestic violence among female athletes. One of the founders, Joan Chelimo, has spoken about the financial and emotional exploitation female athletes face from men who see them as easy targets.

Rebecca Cheptegei’s death is a grim reminder that gender-based violence continues to plague not only ordinary women but also elite female athletes. Cheptegei, a mother of two, had achieved great success in her career, yet she fell victim to an all-too-familiar cycle of violence. Her death has reignited calls for stronger protections and legal actions to ensure justice for victims of domestic abuse and violence in sports.

As the investigation continues, there is hope that Cheptegei’s tragic story will drive change and lead to greater awareness and action to protect women from such heinous crimes.