The death of Rebecca Cheptegei highlights violence against female athletes in Kenya

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei was given her last respects. She died a few days after she was set on fire in Kenya following an argument with her boyfriend.

Cheptegei, who was running in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, suffered severe burns to more than 75 percent of her body after she was doused with gasoline and set on fire outside her home, police said.

Police in northwestern Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, said an investigation into her death was ongoing. Authorities said Cheptegei and her boyfriend were heard arguing over land before she was set on fire.

Cheptegei, 33, is the latest victim of attacks on female athletes in Kenya.

In 2021, Agnes Tirop, a rising track and field star in Kenya and two-time world championship bronze medalist, was found dead in her home with stab wounds to the neck. Her husband was charged with murder but pleaded not guilty – and the case is still ongoing.

In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee Mutua was found dead. According to the autopsy report, she was strangled. Mutua's boyfriend was identified as the main suspect and police are still looking for him.

Tirop's death at the age of 25 shocked Kenya and prompted active and former athletes to establish the non-profit charity “Tirop's Angels” to combat domestic violence against women and girls.

“The tragic murder of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei breaks our hearts,” said a social media post from Tirop's Angels on Thursday.

“Another life has been lost due to gender-based violence. Tirop's Angels condemns this horrific act and calls for swift justice.”

One of the founders of Tirop's Angels, Joan Chelimo, told Reuters that female athletes in the country are at high risk of exploitation and violence from men because of their money and status.

“As an athlete and activist against gender-based violence, I am deeply shocked and outraged by the horrific attack that took Rebecca Cheptegei’s life,” Chelimo said in a post on Instagram.

“This senseless violence must end. I stand in solidarity with all survivors and demand justice for Rebecca and for those whose suffering continues to go unheard.

“My commitment to raising awareness and working towards a future where everyone can live without fear of violence remains unwavering.”

Thousands of Kenyan women took to the streets in protest earlier this year, the largest demonstrations the country has ever held against gender-based violence.

The protest marches against femicide took place after reports emerged that 14 women were killed by gender-based violence in January 2024 alone.

Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the Paris Olympic marathon, had bought land in the Trans Nzoia area to be close to the county's many training centres.

A report from local authorities said Cheptegei and her boyfriend were heard arguing over the land on which the house stood before the fire broke out.

Trans Nzoia County police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Cheptegei's boyfriend bought a can of petrol, poured it on her and set her on fire.

Donald Rukare, president of the Uganda Olympics Committee, said Cheptegei was the victim of a “cowardly and senseless act”.

“We have learned of the sad death of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei following a brutal attack by her boyfriend,” said Rukare.

“May her gentle soul rest in peace and we condemn violence against women in the strongest possible terms.”

Kenya's Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said Cheptegei's death was a loss “for the entire region”.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which has reared its ugly head in elite sport circles in recent years,” he said.

Middle-distance runner Eilish McColgan, who has competed in four Olympic Games for the British team, posted on Twitter/X: “This is heartbreaking.

“What's even more heartbreaking is that this is not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible athlete to domestic violence. This must stop.”

Middle-distance runner Eilish McColgan, who has competed in four Olympic Games for the British team, posted on Twitter/X: “This is heartbreaking.

“What's even more heartbreaking is that this is not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible athlete to domestic violence. This must stop.”