Athletics Kenya CEO asks to stand aside for 21 days over bribery allegations

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Athletics Kenya's chief executive has asked to step aside for 21 days pending an investigation into allegations he sought bribes to reduce the doping bans of two athletes who failed drugs tests, officials said on Tuesday.

(Reuters)

AK officials showed journalists a letter that they said was from Isaac Mwangi that stated: "The allegations have caused me a lot of mental anguish ... I am anxious to have my name cleared."

The letter, dated Monday, said Mwangi wanted to step aside to let the federation investigate allegations by athletes Joy Sakari and Francisca Koki Manunga that he asked each of them for $24,000 to reduce their four-year bans.

(Reporting by Edwin Waita; Writing by Drazen Jorgic)