Saif Saaeed Shaheen
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Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Arabic: سيف سعيد شاهين) formerly Stephen Cherono (born October 15, 1982 in Keiyo, Kenya) is a long distance track athlete now representing Qatar.
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[edit] Background
Saif Saaeef Shaheen was born and raised in Kenya, showing athletic ability from a young age. He initially made his mark on the international stage with a win at World Youth Games in 1999 over the 2000 metre steeplechase. He went on to become the world champion over the 3000 metre steeplechase course in 2003 and again in 2005.
He currently holds the world record for 3000 metre steeplechase in a time of 7:53:62 set in 2004 in Brussels and is considered the pre-eminent steeplechase athlete in the world. Shaheen possesses a powerful finish and notably defeated rival Ezekiel Kemboi in a dramatic final in 2003.
[edit] Defection to Qatar
Despite Shaheen's achievements on the track, he is most notable for his defection from Kenya to Qatar in 2003. Changing his name from Stephen Cherono to Saif Saaeed Shaheen, the former Stephen Cherono was reported to have received up to $1 million to change his citizenship. Shaheen has denied this.
The defection was deeply unpopular with the Kenyan Government, President Mwai Kibaki made a public speech before the 2003 World Championships that included the statement "Let us resist the temptation to change our citizenship for financial gains,"
Sympathy has been expressed for Shaheen's move. The previous holder of the 3000 metre steeplechase world record, Kenyan Moses Kiptanui stating "We have seen a lot of athletes who were running in the 1968 Olympics or 1974 until maybe last year, some of them, they are living in a very, very sparse state. They are very poor despite the fact they have done great things for this country,"
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge has also raised concerns about athletes moving between countries, stating that, "What is bad is countries or organizations wanting to buy athletes just for the money".
[edit] Repercussions
Shaheen himself felt the repercussions of the defection as he was barred from competing in the 2004 Olympic Games. The IOC rule that athletes may not compete in international events for a period of three years subsequent to competing in an international event for a different country. This rule may be waived where the athlete and the governing athletics bodies from the two countries involved are willing to forego the penalty. In the case of Saif Saaeed Shaheen, the Kenyan Athletics Association were not willing to forego the penalty and he was barred from the Olympics. The 3000 metre steeplechase was won by Ezekiel Kemboi.
Shaheen's move has been characterised as being symbolic of the globalisation of athletics. Qatar have since been successful in persuading a number of other athletes, particularly Kenyan athletes, to switch allegiances including 5000 metre athlete Albert Chepkurui. Fellow Gulf State Bahrain has also been successful in persuading athletes to change nationality.
The case of Stephen Cherono is not the first to see athletes switching nationality, political reasoning such as with Zola Budd or marriage or emigration such as with Wilson Kipketer have previously been seen. However, Said Saaeef Shaheen represents a separate category as there are no apparent motivations for the switch of allegiance beyond the financial motivation.
[edit] Achievements
- Current 3000 metre steeplechase world record holder
- World 3000 metre steeplechase champion 2003
- World 3000 metre steeplechase champion 2005
- World Youth 2000 metre steeplechase champion 1999
