With 126 Kenyan athletes currently serving doping sanctions and nine others provisionally suspended for various anti-doping violations, Athletics Kenya (AK), the governing body for Athletics in the country, continues to grapple with the menace.
The increasing number of Kenyan athletes failing doping tests has placed the country under intense scrutiny by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which has implemented strict regulations to which athletes must adhere in order to compete in international events.
Kenya is categorised as a “Category A” federation, signifying the highest doping risk.
A world championships’ year therefore means meticulous planning to ensure the country fields its best athletes while also giving emerging talent a fair chance, avoiding disqualification due to anti-doping compliance issues. It is the price that the country has to pay for its athletes to be deemed trustworthy to take the global stage.
With six-months to go before the start of the Tokyo games, Athletics Kenya announced that they would select their team from a pool of 444 athletes who had already been notified to ensure they attained all the anti-doping requirements to be eligible for selection.
“This is obviously not the final selection but a probable team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, we just want to take all the necessary steps to make sure we have as many athletes who will have complied with the mandatory testing requirements so as to be eligible for selection at the National trials,” said Athletics Kenya President, Jackson Tuwei.
Strict Rules and Regulations
According to Article 15 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Regulations, athletes from Category A countries must undertake at least three no-notice out-of-competition tests prior to the Championships, the tests must also be conducted throughout the 10 -month period from 29 October 2024 to 29 August 2025.
The first test must be completed on 24 May 2025. Athletes who do not have at least one no-notice out-of-competition test completed by this date will not be eligible to compete in Tokyo, regardless of the number of tests conducted afterwards.
Kenya’s selection pool has been dwindling over the last few years, and national trials that were initially open to all are now invitations to only those athletes who have adhered to all testing obligations.
In 2023, the Kenyan government committed US$25m to clean up the sport over a five-year period.
“We have to reduce the numbers significantly so as to regain our positive global image,” said an Athletics Kenya official
Expanding the athletes testing pool
The Athletics integrity unit gave Kenya a target of at least 3000 tests every year under a rigorous clean-up programme that requires the country’s anti-doping agency (ADAK) to intensify testing as well as education.
“We were able to conduct 4,500 tests last year and we are targeting the same number.” Dr. Martin Yauma, ADAK assistant research manager told Athletics Africa, adding that, “the extra resources allocated by the government have really transformed the fight against doping.”
“The ADAK testing pool has moved from 70 athletes to over 400 athletes in a period of two years, we have changed our approach in education where we do not only rely on inviting athletes to education forums that need them to travel, we have mapped the athletics camp especially in hot spot areas and we are going to them.”
“We make sure they are not only educated about the anti-doping regulations but we teach them on the importance of being in the testing pool.”
Meanwhile, local Athletics Kenya competitions have become another target area for more out-of-competition tests to be conducted with all the participants personally collected their bib numbers a day before the start of the weekend competition.
“This directive has been a game changer in our pursuit for more tests but most importantly as a platform to introduce education to athletes who we may not have reached via our other programmes,” Dr. Yauma celebrated the ADAK – Athletics Kenya partnership. “We make sure the first point of contact is the ADAK tent before the athletes get to the bib collection point.”
“This approach allows ADAK to identify whether an athlete has been previously engaged and assess the type of support required, the process has enabled us to successfully bring a substantial number of athletes into their education and anti-doping initiatives.” added Dr. Yauma.
Kenya has remained in Category A of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for seven years, reflecting its high doping risk. Despite intensified efforts to combat doping, including stricter testing and education measures, there is still no clear timeline for when Kenya might be removed from this heightened scrutiny.