Violence should never be an option.
Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei passed away at the age of 34 after being set fire by her boyfriend. The two had argued over a plot of land, which ended with Cheptegei having gasoline poured on her and set ablaze.
Photo courtesy U.S. Weekly
During her impressive running career, the 34-year-old Ugandan won the 2022 Paradova Marathon and the 2021 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, and she competed in this year’s Paris Olympics. In 2021, Cheptegei set a national record for her country at the 2021 Ugandan Championships.
Her story isn’t the first time there has been violence against women in sports. For example, in 2021, Kenyan runners Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua were killed by their respective partners. Sports figures sometimes perpetrate violence; examples include Ray Rice, Miles Bridges, Randy Moss, Chad Ochocinco Johnson, Dennis Rodman, OJ Simpson, and Dez Bryant. In the MMA world, Floyd Mayweather Jr’s 2010 domestic abuse case made headlines.
The question now is, what can be done to address this problem?
In 2015, the NFL produced a PSA against domestic abuse that was shown during the Super Bowl. While it was an excellent effort, a simple PSA won’t solve the problem. What I propose is to treat domestic abuse the same way the NFL treats fouls: if you are found out to have abused a woman, you’re off the team. It might be extreme, but so is domestic violence.
Athletes themselves can also step up in this mission. A true man doesn’t abuse a woman for any reason. If you’re struggling with something, talk to someone, go for a walk, or take a timeout. Don’t take your anger out on your female partner. The sports world can be stressful, but there is no reason to hurt a woman.
Cheptegei’s death is a tragic reminder of how the sports world hasn’t done enough to prevent domestic abuse. Athletes and the leagues need to speak up and take responsible action so that a tragedy like this is less likely to recur.
