Kenya dodge doping ban, vows crackdown on menace

Kenya, in the eye of a doping storm, have managed to escape sanction by World Athletics (WA) after pledging to step up their fight against the menace. There has been an alarming rise in doping among Kenyan runners this year and 55 athletes are currently serving suspensions from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the anti-doping watchdog of WA. It has raised serious concerns about the performances of Kenyan athletes who have dominated middle and long-distance running at major world events. AIU lists Kenya among the highest doping risk nations.

This week, WA Council discussed the ongoing situation of doping in Kenya in the context of the AIU’s regular report.

“It was agreed that the Kenyan government’s commitment to provide an additional $5 million a year for the next five years to strengthen Kenya’s anti-doping programmes was an appropriate response to the situation at this time. As Kenya remains a Category A federation under the World Athletics anti-doping rules, the onus remains on Kenyan authorities to work closely with the AIU to ensure these funds are used effectively,” WA said in a statement,

WA president Sebastian Coe said it takes the “escalating” doping problem in Kenya seriously.

"World Athletics has been concerned," Coe was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"Kenya are on the watch list already and have been for some years. It is pretty clear that World Athletics take very seriously the escalating problem that has arisen in Kenya.

"Over the course of one year, 40% of all the positives recorded (in doping tests) in global athletics are in Kenya. This was not something the sport, and certainly not World Athletics, was prepared to sit and develop."

"This is not a situation that is sustainable. I am pleased we have got a united response, and the only way this can be dealt with has to be collectively driven. All stakeholders, domestically and internationally, have a role and responsibility in trying to resolve this as quickly as possible."

Coe welcomed the steps promised by Kenyan government.

“I particularly welcome the additional resource made available by the Government of Kenya in this fight. The only way that we can reduce the scale of this problem is a joint commitment across all the sports stakeholders in Kenya and of course World Athletics and its Athletics integrity unit,” Coe said.

AIU’s crackdown on Kenyan runners has dented the country’s image. Some big names like Diana Kipyokei, 2021 Boston Marathon winner, Philemon Kacheran, best known as Eliud Kipchoge’s training partner, who was dropped from the Kenyan team for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, have tested positive.

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