Tragic death of Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei isn't the first assault on female athletes

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, tragically died from burns four days after her former boyfriend poured gasoline on her and set her on fire, according to local police reports. Cheptegei, 33, succumbed to her injuries at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, where she was treated for burns covering more than 75% of her body. The hospital's senior director of clinical services, Owen Menach, confirmed that she passed away after her organs failed.

The Ugandan Athletics Federation, along with the hospital’s director, expressed deep sorrow over her death, which occurred early in the morning. Uganda Olympics Committee president Donald Rukare publicly condemned the attack on social media, emphasizing that violence against women must be stopped.

Cheptegei, born and raised in Cheminy, Uganda, had been training in Kenya, where she purchased land to reduce the costs associated with her training. She made her Olympic debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 44th in the women’s marathon. Her impressive athletic career spanned over a decade, during which she represented Uganda in various international events, including the World Cross Championships and the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand. Cheptegei also posted her fastest marathon time of 2:22:47 at the 2022 Abu Dhabi marathon, ranking her as the second-fastest female Ugandan marathoner of all time.

The horrific attack occurred when Cheptegei’s estranged boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, allegedly snuck into her home while she and her two children were at church. Upon her return, Marangach poured gasoline on her and set her ablaze. He was also injured in the attack and remains in intensive care. The police described the incident as stemming from a domestic dispute over land that Cheptegei had acquired. Her family confirmed that the land had been a point of contention between Cheptegei and Marangach for some time, with the two scheduled to meet with authorities to settle the issue.

Cheptegei's death marks the third killing of a prominent female athlete in Kenya in the last three years. This disturbing trend has sparked renewed attention on the prevalence of gender-based violence in the region. According to Kenyan government data, nearly 34% of Kenyan girls and women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, with 41% of married women reporting some form of abuse. African countries continue to report some of the highest numbers of gender-based violence globally, with female athletes being particularly vulnerable.

In 2022, Kenyan-born runner Damaris Muthee was found strangled, and in 2021, Olympian Agnes Tirop was found murdered, also by a partner. The rising violence against women, particularly female athletes, has led to the formation of groups like Tirop's Angels, which aim to combat domestic violence in sporting circles. One of the group’s founders, Joan Chelimo, highlighted that female athletes are often targeted by men who exploit their financial success under the guise of romantic relationships.

As a feminist, this entire situation is profoundly upsetting. The brutal killing of Rebecca Cheptegei is a horrific reminder of the desperate need for respect, safety, and equality for female athletes and women alike. Cheptegei’s death is not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader epidemic of gender-based violence, underscoring the urgent need for society to address the systemic issues that put women in such peril. These tragedies reflect the failure to protect women, and it is a call for action to create a safer, more just world where women are treated with dignity and their safety is prioritized.