Outrage after Kenyan athlete collapses while competing and no medical staff rushes to help her(video)
Organisers of Warsaw Marathon held Sunday have come under sharp criticism after they failed to assist Kenyan Recho Kosgei, who collapsed with only 800m to the finishing line.With less than 1K to go, Kosgei started looking back to see if the second-place woman was close.There was no one within eyesight. Kosgei was veering side-to-side on the roads of the Polish capital and at the 2:29:50 mark of the race, she fell backwards to the ground.She was unable to get up and a runner, Marek Hladik, more than two minutes later, came to her aid, before continuing, as Bekelu Beji of Ethiopia, the eventual women’s winner, passed by.This has led to a public outcry making Kenyans attack the marathon's organizers for "being unprofessional".According to the NBC website, Kosgei who hails from Eldoret had opened up a near-three-minute lead and about a half-mile to go before disaster struck.
This beyond acceptable Although it's illegal for race official to help a runner I think there comes a time when logic takes over @iaaforg https://t.co/h6J0NEk7eF
— Hon wesley korir (@weskorir) September 25, 2017
Journalist Saddique Shaban said that leaving Kosgei to struggle was “unacceptable negligence on the part of the organizers.”He continued that “Cases of athletes dying in road races, mostly amateurs, have been on a rise. But this was no amateur athlete.Kosgei did not finish and was eventually treated by medical personnel, according to Polish media.The Warsaw Marathon has yet to release a statement regarding the incidentWatch the video below:
The organizers of Warsaw Marathon are on the spot for failing to assist Kenya's Recho Kosgei, dangerously needing help, in Sunday's event. pic.twitter.com/rSfp8EjHq4
— Saddique Shaban (@SaddiqueShaban) September 25, 2017