With 55 athletes banned, Kenya escapes blanket ban for anti-doping violations

Athletics Kenya has been warned by World Athletics president, Seb Coe to put its house in order after the east African nation escaped a blanket ban from the world governing body for the sports amidst widespread doping.

Coe says the promise from Kenyan Sports Minister, Amina Mohamed of a robust response to the menace with the expected collaboration with the Athletics Integrity Unit that will prevent further anti-doping violations necessitated the reprieve from World Athletics.

There are as many as 55 Kenyan athletes currently serving doping bans and there were serious fears the country would be suspended them from

international and continental competitions.

Kenya is one of seven ‘Category A’ nations recognized by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to have the highest doping risk which threatens the integrity

of the sport.

“World Athletics has been concerned,” Coe said. “Kenya are on the watch list already and have been for some years. It is pretty clear that World Athletics take very

seriously the escalating problem that has arisen in Kenya.

“Over the course of one year, 40% of all the positives recorded [in doping tests] in global athletics are in Kenya. This was not something the sport, and certainly not

World Athletics, was prepared to sit and develop.

“All stakeholders internationally and domestically are now aligned to resolve this situation and I am pleased we have a united response. But my instinct tells me it

will be a long journey.”

Coe revealed that the Kenyan government have pledged to spent $5m over a five-year period in anti-doping funding, with further doping tests and investigations set

to be in place alongside extra educational programmes.