President William Ruto has issued firm instructions to the Ministry of Sports to reorganise the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in line with international best practices, warning against any compromise on the integrity of sports.
Ruto said Kenya’s global sporting reputation must be protected at all costs.
He stated that doping scandals threaten to undermine decades of hard-earned excellence and called for stronger oversight.
“Kenya is a great sporting nation, and we do not want our sportsmen and women to be adulterated in any manner, for whatever reason, by anybody,” he said Thursday when he hosted Kenya’s Tokyo medalists for a breakfast meeting.
“My instructions to Waziri are that we reorganise ADAK properly, inject professionalism, and make sure you work with best practice and international standards so that we safeguard the integrity of sports in Kenya,” Ruto stated.
He directed the ministry to ensure that individuals with questionable intentions are kept away from the country’s athletes and other sports talents.
“As we support our sportsmen and women, let us make sure that characters who have no good intention do not get in the way of our young people’s pursuit of excellence, from ball games to athletics and every discipline in between,” he added.
Ruto’s order comes as the 21-day ultimatum given to Kenya by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) lapses at midnight.
WADA declared the country’s Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) on September 11 non-compliant with international standards.
The move, it said, followed an audit conducted in May 2024 that flagged several critical shortcomings within the ADAK.
In a statement issued after its Executive Committee meeting in Prague, Czechia, WADA said ADAK had failed to meet multiple requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code.
While the specific shortcomings were not disclosed, WADA noted they were serious enough to warrant formal action under Article 9.3.1 of its compliance framework.
Kenya had been given 21 days to either dispute the ruling or correct the flagged issues.
“The Signatory consequences listed in the ExCo decision will apply as of October 3, 2025, if ADAK does not correct its non-conformities in full,” WADA said.
If the non-compliance stands, ADAK will immediately lose its privileges within WADA structures, including funding eligibility, committee representation, and participation in programs.
Kenya would also be barred from bidding to host future regional, continental, or global championships, though events already allocated to the country would not be affected.
The consequences extend beyond ADAK’s operations.
Kenyan officials would be excluded from boards or committees of international sporting bodies.
Further sanctions could follow in 2026 if compliance issues remain unresolved, including third-party supervision of ADAK’s operations.
In a worst-case scenario, Kenya’s flag could be suspended from display at international events such as the Olympics and Paralympics.
“The decision will automatically enter into force by midnight on October 2, 2025, unless ADAK corrects its non-conformities in full or disputes the allegation,” WADA said, urging sports bodies worldwide to prepare for enforcement.
The agency further warned of escalating penalties if compliance is not restored within set timelines.
After six months of continued non-conformity, ADAK’s testing and results management would be placed under third-party supervision, with costs borne by Kenya.
ADAK has since reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the international body to secure full compliance.
"ADAK assures all stakeholders, including athletes, sports federations, partners, and the public, that we will continue to work closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), law enforcement agencies, and the Judiciary to ensure full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code," ADAK CEO Peninah Wahome said in a statement.
Ruto, at the same time, assured athletes that the government will continue to provide direct support to nurture talent while ring-fencing sports resources.
He reiterated that the national Sports Fund will remain strictly dedicated to sports development, after years of misuse.
“As I promised when I came into office, the Sports Fund will not be used for any other purpose. It is sacrosanct, meant only for our sportsmen and women. It will be used to develop infrastructure, provide incentives, and ensure Kenya continues to shine,” Ruto affirmed.
