• ADAK budget slashed by 43 million since formation in 2016
• Agency operations costs have gone up due to inflation
Anti -Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has lobbied the government for additional funding to cover its expanding anti-doping education and doping Control programs.
The government had allocated Sh300 million to ADAK but Parliament has gradually reduced the budget to Sh257 million since the agency was formed in 2016.
The Sh43 million budget cut has seen the agency’s operations reduce significantly as inflation drives up the costs of sample collection and transportation to the various laboratories around the world.
ADAK CEO Kiplimo Rugut said the scope of doping has increased from athletics to other disciplines like football, rugby and boxing among others.
He said they have also been receiving requests from other continental and world governing bodies to conduct random testing and this is eating into their kitty.
“With the WADA Approved laboratory in the country, we have scaled up our blood sample collection as we position ourselves to take full advantage of the opportunity presented by the LANCET Group of Laboratories,” he added.
“Correspondingly, we are likely to receive more requests to carry out blood sample collection from our stakeholders and partners in the fight against doping across the world. We view these requests as strong confidence in our capacity as a sample collection authority and it is for this reason that we urge the government to consider allocating us more funding,” he added.
Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia reiterated the ministry’s support of a robust Anti-doping program in Kenya.
“ADAK has done exceedingly well since its establishment through the Anti-Doping Act in April 2016. We are fully behind their effort to eradicate the doping menace among our sportspeople. It is for this reason that we support their request for consideration for additional funding as the agency is charged with the important mandate of ensuring the integrity of our sport,” he said.
“As a ministry, we remain resolute on the need to protect the clean athletes through eradicating cheats among the various sports disciplines in Kenya and it is for this reason that we strongly value the role ADAK is playing,” added Kaberia.
Rugut made the appeal during a session with the National Assembly departmental committee on Sports Culture and Tourism.
“Our mandate is very unique and sensitive and so far, the government has continued to display its disposition and commitment to the promotion of clean sport in Kenya through adequate financing.
"For this reason, we are grateful to the National Treasury through our parent Ministry of Sports, who have been supportive throughout the two-and-a-half years that we’ve been in existence.
"Given the dynamic nature of our field, we shall continue adopting new strategies to embolden our fight against doping. In doing so, we shall also pursue regular engagement with our parent ministry and the National Treasury for consideration for additional funds as our needs grow,” noted Rugut