Sports
KEN | Nov 25, 2022

Kenya faces ban by World Athletics

/ Our Today

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String of doping violations cited

Ababu Namwamba, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts.

The East African nation of Kenya is facing a ban from athletics for violations of doping rules.

However, World Athletics is being urged by one of the country’s government minister not to ban the nation from the sport. Kenya is reportedly at risk of a sanction following a string of cases with 55 of its athletes serving suspensions issued by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Its total of 55 athletes serving bans is the third most of any nationality behind Russia (102) and India (61). Seventeen Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned by the AIU this year for a range of violations with a further eight provisionally suspended and awaiting the outcomes of their cases.

An overarching ban by World Athletics and the AIU would be a huge blow to the reputation of the East African country, which has won 34 of its 35 Olympic gold medals in track and field events. Kenya’s Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts has a zero tolerance to doping and is “fully committed to ending the doping menace”.

Review next week

It is being reported that Kenya’s situation will be discussed at the World athletics council meeting in Rome next week. Ababu Namwamba, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, has written to World Athletics President Lord Sabastian Coe to assure him that Kenya’s government is taking firm measures to uphold the integrity of athletics.

Namwamba stated, “we cannot allow our nation to be banned because of the actions of some greedy unethical individuals….We will target and deal decisively with the criminals and their syndicates. We must work together to eradicate doping and cheating from athletics and sports in general”.

Kenya is among seven countries deemed a ‘Category A’ federation – the highest doping risk – by the AIU, meaning athletes from the countries have to undergo at least three tests in the 10 months prior to a major event to be able to compete there.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) welcomed the government’s intervention saying it will continue supporting “all efforts and actions as a partner in dismantling all systems and avenues perpetuating the vice of doping in athletics”.

A statement from the body said the country had built an “illustrious history” in the sport and that “it is not ready to sacrifice this reputation due to the greed of a few actors”.

The BBC is reporting NOC-K President Paul Tergat as saying, “we join our voice in pleading with World Athletics and other parties to withhold any punitive measures such as a ban and consider the multifaceted efforts of the Kenyan community, led by the government, as a positive sign and contribution towards a zero-doping environment in Kenya”.

Two-time Olympic champion and marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge acknowledged that the increasing number of doping cases is “worrying” and “clean sport is the way to go”.

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