Kenya has rolled out its proposed measures to tackle the doping issue that has placed the country at risk of an international athletics ban.
The Kenyan situation is on the agenda to be discussed at the two-day World Athletics Council meeting in Rome that will end with a press conference on November 30 when its fate is expected to be announced.
This follows a spike in doping cases that has seen 45 athletes from the country banned or provisionally suspended from international competitions in 2022 alone.
Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Saturday evening that the government has committed to increasing funding to anti-doping efforts over a period of five years.
Namwamba said the government expects the local governing body Athletics Kenya (AK) and the Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) to utilise the additional funding “to develop their testing, mobilisation, reconnaissance, surveillance and enforcement capabilities.”
The additional money reported to be 5 million US dollars per year will also facilitate the registration of coaches and training camps.
“We laud the President of World Athletics, Lord Sebastian Coe for acknowledging our efforts in this regard. In his communication with me this week, Coe praised the government’s action and plan in the fight against the threat of doping,” Namwamba said.
The Kenyan government was compelled to reach out to the world governing body amid reports that its independent agency, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) would recommend the suspension of the country from international athletics.
Monaco-based AIU on Friday submitted its report on Category 'A countries — the nations deemed to be at the highest risk of doping — of which Kenya has been enlisted.
Namwamba in his statement expressed “alarm” and “sadness” over the increase in Kenyan athletes using doping agents, which has resulted in downgrading of Kenya’s premium status and led to classification as a “Category A” violator under the World Anti-Doping Rules in Athletics.
Namwamba blamed the spike in doping cases in the distance running powerhouse on unethical individuals whose greed undermines the reputation and pedigree of Kenyan athletes.
