Kenya escapes athletics ban as Coe hails financial pledge

The government’s move to increase anti-doping funding with an allocation of Sh 619 million annually for the next five years has seen Kenya avoid being sanctioned.

World Athletics President Seb Coe said that the funding will help increase the number of tests, investigations besides bolstering the already comprehensive education programs by Athletics Kenya and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

Addressing a conference after the World Athletics Council meeting in Rome, Italy on Wednesday, Coe said that its arm of integrity, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), will now work closely with Kenya to implement the next phase of the war against doping.

“AIU will now help implement the plans and communicate the process and programs so as to achieve and build that trust in the long journey,” said Coe, adding that the positive development came after he received a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Ababu Namwamba detailing his plan.

"We made some real progress,” said Coe, who thanked the World Athletics Council, AIU and Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei for the breakthrough.

“We don’t regularly share letters of such nature but it’s upon the request from the Kenyan government to make it public,” said Coe, adding that Kenyan government pledged $25 million (Sh3 billion) over five years to help finance more anti-doping campaigns.

Coe noted that has been a disfiguring period in what should have been a herculean period for Kenyan athletics. “I am really delighted because all the stakeholders that matter, both domestically and internationally, are now aligned in coming together to do everything so as to resolve this situation."

Coe noted that World Athletics is concerned that Kenya has been on the doping watchlist for some years owing to the high profile number of positive tests and the number of elite athletes the country has.

“We take seriously the escalating problem where 40 per cent of the cases this year are from Kenya,” said Coe. “But I am pleased with Kenyan government’s response but my instincts tell me there is still a long journey.”

Coe said that AIU will still continue to monitor the situation despite the highest recognition from the Kenyan government. “We don’t want piece-meal progress hence it has to be a collective fight,” said Coe.

Namwamba, on Wednesday last week wrote to Coe detailing Kenya's progress in the war against the doping scourge as he announced the increase in funding.  

More than 30 Kenyan athletes, mostly elite, have been suspended in the past one year for flouting various anti-doping rules.

 In 2018, World Athletics placed Kenya among four countries in ‘Category A’, the others being Ethiopia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Athletes from these federations selected to compete in major events will have to undergo at least three out-of-competition doping tests in the 10 months before World Athletics Championships or Olympic Games.

One of the tests must be of blood and the tests should be done two weeks apart.

Kenya escaped going the Russian way and was able to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the 2016 Anti-Doping Act, which saw the establishment of ADAK.

The World Athletics Board will decide on Friday whether Kenya will remain in Category "A" or not.