Kenya urged to tackle doping with same resolve as HIV fight
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Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 28.09.25. | 14:43
WADA's consequences are set to take effect on Thursday, 2 October 2025 and should ADAK remain non-compliant for six months, its testing and results management activities will come under third-party supervision at its own expense. If deficiencies persist for 12 months, the Kenyan flag would not be displayed at regional, continental, or world championships, including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
Team Kenya may have shone at the world championships in Tokyo, winning seven golds, but persistent allegations of doping still cast a shadow on such a spectacular show.
Kenya has been categorized as a high-risk nation for doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) since 2016.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) alleged that Kenya's Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) is non-compliant with its code, further warning the nation could face consequences next month unless certain conditions are met.
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Over the years, and following numerous scandals, Kenya has repeatedly promised and invested millions to clear up the issue, but it remains high up on the WADA watchlist.
"Most of our athletes are running to escape poverty and support their families, and they, as a result, will use all manner of things, including doping," said Kenya's three-time Boston Marathon winner Ibrahim Hussein.
"Winning is a lifetime chance," he told AFP.
Some 140 Kenyan athletes, mainly long-distance runners, have been suspended by AIU since 2017, more than any other nation.
"This thing has got out of hand and we are not doing enough," Kenyan sports journalist Peter Njenga told AFP, describing it as "an emergency".
"Doping needs to be fought the same way Kenya campaigned against HIV," he said.
Under potential sanctions, ADAK will lose all WADA privileges, including funding and participation in agency programmes, and Kenyan representatives will be barred from holding positions on WADA boards or committees.
Kenya would also be barred from being awarded the rights to host regional, continental, or world championships and other international events during any period of non-compliance, while Kenyan athletes could be banned from international competition.
"There is a big danger that we may not host any event until the recommendations are fully met," Barnaba Korir, a member of the executive committee of Athletics Kenya (AK), told AFP, describing the warning simply as "bad news".
The government has promised to act, investing some $25 million (Ksh 3.2 billion) over five years to combat the problem.
"We are very happy with our work in testing, education, and creating awareness that in the last three years, no Kenyan athlete has been returned home from the Olympic and World championships for failing a test," said Peninah Wahome, ADAK's acting director.
However, while ADAK has seen some progress in recent years, the country's level of compliance with international standards remains "not good enough," said AIU head Brett Clothier. "We need the anti-doping agency to be at the same elite level as the athletes," he told reporters in Tokyo.
At the Tokyo world championships, Kenya finished in second place behind the United States in the overall standings.
"The question we should be asking is: is it the training, doping, or the attitude of the athletes that's causing this?" asked journalist Njenga. "Doping has eaten into the roots of Kenyan athletics," he said.
© Agence France-Presse
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