Kenyan marathoner Joan Nancy Rotich has revealed a harrowing tale of how she lost millions of her earnings from the tracks to unscrupulous individuals, including her ex-boyfriend.
In her prime, Rotich was a force to reckon with in marathons and half marathons, as she represented Kenya in different competitions, including the Taipei Marathon in China and the Jakarta Marathon in Indonesia in the early 2010s.
However, the marathoner now claims to be living in squalor after her career took a nosedive and her earnings on the track fell on hands that were not keen on helping her.
In a video obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, Rotich disclosed her investment plans with her former partner, who eventually took all the assets they had invested in for himself.
A screengrab showing marathoner Nancy Joan Rotich
Photo
Athletes Welfare Initiative Kenya
“The money I won I gave to my ex,” she narrated. “I thought he loved me. I bought two tour cars, and the guy put his name on those cars.”
The 38-year-old also claims to have built a home with the couple’s future in mind, but her ex-partner allegedly ‘claimed everything’.
Besides her former partner, Rotich also claims to have fallen victim to her agent, who she claims took advantage of her naivety to scoop all her winnings from the Doha Marathon in Qatar in 2018.
After an impressive performance in the women’s race, Rotich was feted with approximately Ksh1.6 million in Doha in 2018. This money, according to the marathoner, went to her agent, who convinced her to send it to his bank account.
She narrated, “Another race in Qatar, I won KSh 1.6 million. The agent cheated us into depositing the money in his account. The guy is in Germany now. I’m trying to reach him, but he keeps telling me there is nowhere I’ll take him.”
The Athletes Welfare Initiative Kenya has since expressed interest in trying to help Rotich seek justice and perhaps find some reprieve amid her plight.
Meanwhile, the athlete still intends to compete in marathons and possibly make a dramatic comeback, despite being in the twilight years of her career.
Unfortunately, Rotich’s case is one of many involving female athletes who have been taken advantage of by their partners, sometimes with devastating repercussions.
In December, the World Athletics Council, through its Athletes’ Commission and Gender Leadership Taskforce, announced plans to tackle such challenges with urgency. Three main areas the World Athletics will focus on include raising awareness, education, and lobbying for change.
To curb gender-based violence among athletes, the Athletes Commission recommended World Athletics explore partnerships with relevant organisations to combine forces and push for change.
Runners embark on the Hangzhou Marathon. PHOTO/ hangzhou.com.cn