There's been an intriguing amount of evidence suggesting that pregnancy helps female distance runners. Several notable athletes, such as Olympic marathon qualifier Clara Peterson, have come out and said it ("I'm doing stuff I never thought I could do"), while others have seemed to experience it: as a competitor.com article pointed out, Kara Goucher ran a 2:24 marathon PR seven months after giving birth; Paula Radcliffe won the 2007 New York City Marathon seven months removed from her pregnancy; and Deena Kastor recovered from her pregnancy by finishing sixth at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials. Besides documented hormonal changes and increases in blood flow and oxygen carrying capacity, one study tracking pregnant and non-pregnant athletes for 15 months found small bumps in VO2 max rates in pregnant athletes.
The phenomenon, which usually requires runners to train while their pregnant and can have physiological effects lasting up to a year, has also spawned darker tales. During his term as International Olympic Committee vice president, Prince Alexandre de Merode of Belgium asserted he'd known of Eastern European distance runners who had induced pregnancies and subsequent abortions to fuel their training.
Though the 2013 article from competitor.com wrote that "no rumors exist that this happens currently," it appears it still is in Uganda. Recently, national distance star Moses Kipsiro (12:50 5k PR, bronze in 2007 World Championships for 5k) publicized accusations made by female runners against a coach who allegedly asked them to become pregnant in order to improve their times, letsrun reported.
Based on scant media cover so far, it's unclear if the coach requested or insinuated that he become the women's impregnators or if he told them to have unprotected sex with the goal of getting pregnant. It's also somewhat unclear if the country is punishing Kipsiro for his statements. Despite qualifying for (with intentions to run in) the upcoming Half Marathon World Championships, he will no longer be competing, according to the Daily Monitor. Based on his quotes, it appears as if the decision was directly associated with his involvement in the pregnancy scandal.
"I have been told I can't travel but it's okay. I have been given a funny excuse, I don't even want to talk about it," Kipsiro said. "I love representing my country and will do so whenever called upon. But if am being punished for trying to save careers and lives of young athletes, it's unfair. But God is my judge."
In the same article, his coach, Gordon Ahimbisibwe, blamed Kipsiro's absence on a lingering illness.
"He had malaria, typhoid, brucella during the Africa Cross-country. I felt he needed to recover fully before competing. There are many races ahead for him ahead," Ahimbisibwe said.
