Nandi County Senator calls for criminalization of doping

Nandi County Senator Kiprotich Cherargei has called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prosecute the enablers of the doping menace currently being witnessed in the country stating that banning and sanctioning only will not work in curbing the vice.

In a statement issued on Monday following an expose that uncovered how doping is being abetted in the country through various players, the Senator labelled the discovery as tragic, shocking and sad as he called for action as soon as possible before the face of athletics is tarnished in the country.

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“The recent exposure of the ongoing at the anti-doping agency (ADAK) on the banning of 22 athletes for doping is shocking, tragic and sad noting that Kenya is a renowned bastion of athletics prowess. This in long run shall dent the integrity of our sportsmen and women and the Nation at large.

I hereby call upon the DCI and DPP to pick up the ADAK report and give the country a true status of this vice. The banning and sanctioning of an individual athlete is not enough, the investigation and prosecution of the enablers of this vice must be done.

“The DCI, DPP and EACC must move in to complete investigations and prosecute individuals who give this banned substances. Ministry of Health should also revoke or suspend medics, pharmacies and hospitals who aid this vices pending investigations including regulating procurement and sale of the commonly two commonly abused drugs namely - triamcinolone acetonide and norandrosterone," he stated.

Kenya has found itself on the receiving end of a numerous doping offences as over thirty athletes have been banned for various offences with Keneth Kiprop Renju, the reigning Prague Half Marathon and Lisbon Half marathon, the latest to be slapped with a five year ban for the presence/use of a prohibited substance (Methasterone).

“The corruption and bad governance in A.K and ADAK continues to be a soft underbelly on his matter thus must also be looked into. The ministry of sports must tell the country on the mechanisms put in place to ensure our athletes do not become easy target of this unscrupulous enablers of the vice,” the Senator added.

Cherargei also revealed that discussions to review laws on doping will be set afoot in parliament.

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“As parliament we shall initiate more radical changes to the sports act, ADAK act and also other relevant laws to fight this cancerous vice. The proposal include: Aiding and abetting the vice becomes a criminal and economic crime,” he concluded.