A 10 kilometre race in memory of 2008 Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru was reportedly stopped by police ©Getty Images

A 10-kilometre race in Kenya in memory of the country's 2008 Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru was stopped by police before it could start, according to the news website TUKO.

Police were reportedly called to stop the event from beginning after it was supposedly forbidden by Athletics Kenya (AK).

According to reports, the governing body's vice-president Paul Mutwii took issue with the event going ahead against the Federation's advice.

It is not clear exactly why AK did not want the race to happen, although, according to TUKO, it is due to tensions between the governing body and the Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK) who were supporting the race.

Samuel Wanjiru died in 2011, falling from a first floor balcony during a domestic dispute ©Getty Images
Samuel Wanjiru died in 2011, falling from a first floor balcony during a domestic dispute ©Getty Images

It follows calls from PAAK and retired athletes for major reforms at the Federation.

Wanjiru, who the race was set to remember, died in 2011 at the age of just 24 following a domestic dispute.

He fell from a balcony at his home in Nyahururu.

As well as winning the Olympic marathon at Beijing 2008, Wanjiru also set a world junior 10,000 metres record in 2005.

Others who were set to take part in the race included former world 800m champion Billy Konchella.