Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei tragically died on Thursday, just four days after her boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her on fire in Kenya. Cheptegei, 33, who competed in the Paris Olympics, suffered burns to over 75 percent of her body during the horrific attack, according to reports from Kenyan and Ugandan media.
The brutal incident took place on Sunday, with Cheptegei being rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, where doctors fought to save her life. Unfortunately, her condition worsened, and she passed away early Thursday morning due to organ failure, as confirmed by Owen Menach, the hospital’s senior director of clinical services.
Cheptegei is the third high-profile female athlete to be killed in Kenya since October 2021, raising concerns about the alarming rate of violence against women, particularly within the elite sporting community. Donald Rukare, president of the Uganda Olympics Committee, expressed his sorrow in a post on X, stating, ‘We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei… following a vicious attack by her boyfriend. May her gentle soul rest in peace, and we strongly condemn violence against women.’
The attacker, who also sustained burns during the incident, is currently receiving treatment in the hospital’s intensive care unit, having suffered 30 percent burns, according to doctors.
Kenya’s Sports Minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, described Cheptegei’s death as a significant loss to the region, lamenting that her passing serves as a grim reminder of the need to address gender-based violence. ‘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,’ he said in a statement.
The issue of violence against women in Kenya has come into sharper focus with recent incidents like this one. According to government data from 2022, nearly 34 percent of Kenyan girls and women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, with married women being particularly vulnerable. In fact, 41 percent of married women in the country have reported instances of abuse. These disturbing figures highlight the systemic nature of gender-based violence in Kenya, with women in sports increasingly becoming targets.
Rebecca Cheptegei’s death has drawn widespread attention, with Uganda’s athletics federation calling for justice and urging authorities to thoroughly investigate the case. Peter Ogwang, Uganda’s minister of state for sports, said Kenyan authorities are probing the killing, as local media revealed that Cheptegei and her boyfriend had been embroiled in a property dispute in the days leading up to the attack.
Cheptegei’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, spoke out after the tragedy, asking the government to protect his daughter’s children and properties to prevent further exploitation. ‘The land… has brought problems,’ he said, referring to reports that the couple’s conflict had been rooted in property disagreements.
This heartbreaking incident is not an isolated case. The murder of Cheptegei follows a string of violent attacks on female athletes in Kenya. In October 2021, Olympian Agnes Tirop, a rising star in Kenyan athletics, was found dead with multiple stab wounds at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was charged with her murder, and the trial is ongoing. Tirop’s death shocked the nation, prompting current and former athletes to establish ‘Tirop’s Angels’ in 2022, a non-profit organisation aimed at combating domestic violence among female athletes.
Joan Chelimo, one of the founders of ‘Tirop’s Angels,’ said that many female athletes are at high risk of exploitation and violence. ‘They get into these traps of predators who pose in their lives as lovers,’ Chelimo explained, highlighting the financial and emotional exploitation faced by women in sports.
A 2022 report by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime found that African nations recorded the highest numbers of female killings, both in absolute terms and in proportion to the continent’s female population. This data underscores the urgent need for stronger efforts to combat gender-based violence and protect women, including those in high-profile professions like athletics.
As investigations into Rebecca Cheptegei’s tragic death continue, her story shines a light on the broader issue of violence against women in Kenya and across Africa. While her passing leaves a void in Uganda’s Olympic legacy, it also reinforces the need for systemic change to protect women from such heinous acts. Cheptegei’s death serves as a painful reminder that the fight against gender-based violence, particularly in sports, is far from over.
