World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Bańka has urged Kenya to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to doping as the country prepares to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.
Bańka made the call on Tuesday, October 6, at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Kenya, which included engagements with government officials, sports administrators, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), athletes and other stakeholders on strengthening the country’s anti-doping efforts.
Kenya was awarded the 2029 World Athletics Championships in September, becoming the first African country to host the senior global athletics championships.
Bańka said Kenya’s position as one of the world’s leading athletics nations must be matched by stronger action against people supplying prohibited substances to athletes.
He specifically targeted those involved in producing, smuggling and trafficking illegal steroids, warning that their activities can damage athletes’ careers and lives.
“Those bastards who are producing, smuggling, and trafficking illegal steroids to your athletes and destroying their careers and their lives.”
Bańka called for closer cooperation between public authorities, ADAK and WADA to disrupt the supply of prohibited substances and strengthen the country’s response to doping.
“So, I truly believe that I’m leaving Kenya with this strong prediction and energy that the fight against doping here in Kenya will be stronger,” he said.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said the government would deepen cooperation with other agencies to create a sporting environment built around integrity, prevention and enforcement.
“Mine is to recommit the efforts of government to make sure that we have an ecosystem that can ensure integrity, an ecosystem that can ensure that we are able to have preventive action plans, but also an effective enforcement procedure,” Mvurya said.
Bańka’s visit comes after Kenya undertook measures to address concerns previously raised by WADA over the country’s anti-doping system. The changes included areas such as governance, operational independence, results management, intelligence and investigations.
Kenya continues to face doping cases involving athletes, particularly in long-distance running. The cases have included violations involving prohibited substances, whereabouts failures and other breaches of anti-doping rules.
The issue takes on added significance as Kenya prepares to host the 2029 championships, which will bring the world’s leading athletes to Nairobi.
Preparations for the event will therefore extend beyond stadiums and other infrastructure to ensuring that Kenya has an effective system for preventing, detecting and sanctioning doping violations.
The government and ADAK will face increased scrutiny as they work to strengthen clean-sport measures ahead of the championships and protect the credibility of Kenya’s first hosting of the global athletics event.
