Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy, Kipchumba Murkomen, has announced new psychosocial support measures for female athletes following the tragic death of Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei.

According to police reports, the athlete was set on fire by her former lover, Dickson Ndiema

In a heartfelt statement shared on his X account on Saturday, September 14, 2024, Murkomen, who had attended Cheptegei’s funeral, expressed his deep sorrow over the loss. He called for immediate action to address gender-based violence (GBV) in sports.

“Paid my last respects to the celebrated Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei at her home in Bukwo district. Her death, which shook not just Uganda and the athletics community but the entire East African region, should prick our conscience to do more to end gender-based violence in sports, and we shall do it,” Murkomen stated.

Cheptegei, who passed away on September 5, 2024, at Moi Referral Hospital, had suffered burns on more than 75% of her body after the horrific attack.

Murkomen drew comparisons to the 2021 murder of world record holder Agnes Tirop, another tragic case of domestic violence in sports.

He noted that following Tirop’s death, Kenya formed a committee to address gender-based violence in athletics, but Murkomen emphasized the need for faster implementation of their recommendations.

“We must implement these recommendations to create a safe environment where athletes can thrive,” he urged.

Key among the measures Murkomen outlined are the provision of psychosocial support for female athletes and the restructuring of sports camps to be run by women. He also proposed that female sports teams travelling to national and international competitions be accompanied by a female matron, marking an end to the current practice of sending all-male technical teams.

“We must implement these recommendations to create a safe environment where athletes can thrive. Among the key measures is the mainstreaming of psychosocial support for athletes and requiring that female sports camps be run by women, with men only offering support,” he stated.

Adding;

“And for travelling teams, we will ensure there’s a female matron for women teams heading to national, continental and international competitions, and end the current practice of some women teams travelling with an all-male technical team.”

The funeral in Bukwo district was attended by Ugandan government officials, including Sports Minister Peter Ogwang, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, and Members of Parliament Evelyn Chemutai and Robert Pukose, among others. The athletics communities from both Kenya and Uganda also came together to mourn Cheptegei’s untimely death.

“Rebecca, who died on September 5, was a loving mother and a friend to many. She had worked hard and catapulted herself to international glory, only for her dreams to be cut short by a vicious attack from someone she knew,” Murkomen reflected.