Tareq Mubarak Taher
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tareq Mubarak Taher (Arabic: طارق مبارك طاهر) is a middle distance runner now representing Bahrain after his switch from Kenya.
Uncertainty surrounds the identity of Taher. While it is certain that he was born in Kenya, his reported birth date is a controversial subject. The official Bahraini papers state December 1, 1989 as his birth date, thus making him eligible to compete in the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech, Morocco. In addition, it is claimed that he was known as Dennis Sang prior to his switch to Bahrain, upon which he was given the Arabic name Tareq Mubarak Taher. However, both Kenya and the IAAF claim that Taher was born on March 24, 1984 and named Dennis Kipkurui Keter prior to his switch. If this were the case, Taher would be 21 years old at the time of the World Youth Championships and ineligible to compete.
In any case, Taher won the 2000 metres steeplechase in Marrakech, and finished 15th at the World Championships over 3000 m steeplechase three weeks later. At the 2006 World Junior Championships he won a silver medal in this event at the same time as the IAAF Council announced their further investigation into the age of Taher, Belal Mansoor Ali and Aadam Ismaeel Khamis, all Bahraini athletes born in Kenya. In a similar case, Longosiwa Thomas Pkemei (who competes for Kenya) was found to compete with a falsified age at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
After IAAF investigations, Taher was found guilty of falsifying his age. According to IAAF, his former name is Dennis Kipkurui Sang and was born on December 1, 1986. Probable sanctions are yet to be announced [1].
