World Athletics President praises Kenya’s anti-doping efforts, fight against Gender-Based Violence

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has expressed pride in Kenya’s efforts to curb doping, praising the country’s commitment to cleani up athletics and protecting the sport’s integrity.

Coe noted that the global governing body has been particularly impressed by the dedication shown by Athletics Kenya (AK) and the Kenyan government in tackling the vice head-on.

“I know the Athletics Integrity Unit, which is the independent organization within World Athletics that oversees and conducts all our testing programs, is very satisfied with the progress being made. The funding provided by the Kenyan government has been extremely helpful in this fight,” Coe stated.

Despite its revered status as an athletics powerhouse, Kenya continues to grapple with the doping menace, having been placed in Category A — a classification reserved for countries with the highest risk of doping violations.

Eight years after being placed in this category, the country is still battling the vice. However, efforts from various stakeholders, including the government and Athletics Kenya, have gradually tightened the noose on would-be offenders, while also taking stern action against those found guilty.

Adding to these challenges, Kenyan athletics has also been plagued by rising cases of domestic violence and gender-based violence (GBV) involving athletes.

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Addressing the issue, Coe acknowledged that while GBV is not unique to sports, the platform offered by athletics can play a crucial role in raising awareness and advocating for change.

“The second key area — and a very prominent challenge — is gender-based violence. It’s not entirely or uniquely linked to sport, but we must recognize that sport offers a powerful vehicle to raise awareness about this challenge,” Coe said.

Coe was speaking at Talanta Plaza during a courtesy call on Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya.

In his remarks, Mvurya reiterated the Kenyan government’s unwavering commitment to anti-doping initiatives, pledging continued investment to sustain the momentum built over the past few years.

He reaffirmed that the government will honor its pledge — made two years ago — to provide $5 million (approximately Ksh 650 million) annually to fund anti-doping programs.

This funding supports awareness campaigns, athlete testing, investigations, and compliance monitoring.

“We have remained fully committed to ensuring that resources are available every year to strengthen awareness programs, enhance athlete testing, conduct thorough investigations, and ensure every athlete understands and complies with anti-doping regulations,” Mvurya said.

The Sports CS further emphasized that combating gender-based violence is a top priority for the government in the sports sector.

“The government has rolled out comprehensive programs to tackle gender-based violence in sports. We now have a dedicated secretariat led by a CEO, and significant progress has already been made,” Mvurya added.

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Also present at the meeting were Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei and Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum.