From today, the Nation Sport dives into further conversation on the doping scourge in Kenyan sport.
With global attention fixated on the fight against Covid-19, it’s quite easy to assume that doping is no longer an issue, yet more and more Kenyans continue to be flagged for flouting anti-doping regulations.
The recent proposal by Athletics Kenya president Lieutenant General (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei to ban convicted dopers from ever competing again even after completing their doping bans and being barred them from representing the country at championship events, has taken the debate on doping to the next level.
Tuwei said the country might have achieved major milestones in the war against doping in the last four years, but the battle is not won yet, hence more punitive measures are needed to curb the rising cases.
Tuwei said that the athletes and the public are now more informed about the doping menace after they teamed up with World Anti-doping Agency (Wada), World Athletics (WA) under their Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) umbrella, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) and the government to educate them.
The AK president said the move to target athletes directly, intensified campaigns across the counties, different approaches through anti-doping seminars instead of the usual annual gala, the introduction of AK Doctors’ Network and the establishment of Anti-doping Governance Committee, has aided the battle.
Tuwei noted that the opening of Wada-approved laboratory for Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) blood analysis in 2018 took the war on doping to the next level.
The laboratory in Nairobi has focused on blood analyses, although it has also been able to carry out other doping tests.
This year alone, AIU and Adak have either suspended or banned close to 20 athletes for violating doping regulations and they include former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang and former London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru.
“Our first undertaking was to educate those directly concerned, the athletes, about what doping is. This is something we had done before Adak came into existence in 2016,” Tuwei said at the weekend.
“We have intensified campaigns outside the normal education programme.”
Tuwei said during one of their awareness drives in Nyahururu, many people stopped them to ask what doping was all about.
The athletics chief said that all their major events across the country have featured anti-doping seminars.
Tuwei said to educate athletes on anti-doping, the athletes’ conference has been held for two years in place of the annual gala where top performing athletes were rewarded.
“We wanted to cover more athletes, unlike at the gala. We expanded the field to cover youth, elites and coaches,” Tuwei said.
ISAAC KIRWA: (Marathoner, Eldoret)
The athlete, 38, has been training after returning from injury. He said: “It’s really bad to be caught using drugs, but the cheats deserve what they get because we need clean sports.” He asked athletes to take time in training and wait for their time of shining in events to come.
IAN KIMUTAI: (Marathoner, Eldoret)
The 23-year-old upcoming athlete boasts of training with marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge. He does long runs on Sundays and speed work on Tuesdays. “Doping is a bad example to upcoming athletes and this should be avoided at all costs,” Kimutai said.
JUDITH CHERUBET: (Marathoner, Kapsabet)
Her goal was to compete in the Rotterdam Marathon before it was cancelled last month. Cherubet said: “Using performance enhancing drugs is not fair and athletes should think of eradicating this menace because it starts with them. We should always practice clean sport.”
ALICE KIMUTAI: (Marathoner, Iten)
Her preparations for a race in China and Vienna Marathon were cut short due to coronavirus. On doping she said: “Athletes should always think of the next generation and there is need for setting a good example. We have a name to protect, Kenya’s prowess is known across the globe.”
CLEMENT KIPKOECH: (Marathoner, Eldoret)
Kipkoech has been training in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. He is bitter because some athletes prefer short cuts to make quick money. “Doping should be criminalised because that’s daylight robbery. Why should someone think of using drugs to run better than others ?”
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