NAIROBI, July 9: Kenyan immigration officials have detained three athletes on suspicion of falsifying their ages after acquiring new citizenship in Gulf nations, a government minister said on Sunday.

Sports minister Maina Kamanda said he had personally ordered the arrests of world youth 800m and 1,500m champion John Kipkorir Yego, world youth 2,000m steeplechase champion Dennis Kipkurui Keter and Hosea Kiplagat Kosgei.

“The Government is assisting the IAAF in tracking down these athletes who enter international competitions using forged documents,” Kamanda said.

“I have a letter from the IAAF asking for my ministry's support in fighting this vice. We wanted to get some information from them regarding this scandal.”

The youth events are restricted to athletes aged 16 to 17 years.—Reuters