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This week witnessed monumental decisions made on Kenyan sports that will undoubtedly impact the growth of the two most popular disciplines — football and athletics.

First, the world football governing body, Fifa, lifted a long suspension imposed on Kenya due to government interference for alleged misappropriation of funds.

 Second was a pardon by World Athletics, who were expected to ban the country from all activities due to a spike in doping cases in Kenya. All these happened in a span of four days.

Kenya is known as a sporting nation and missing international action because of avoidable reasons is totally unacceptable. The doping issue is very intricate, with a total of 55 Kenyan athletes currently serving bans — 17 of the 55 having been punished this year alone and another eight provisionally suspended.

World Athletics boss Sebastien Coe has warned that despite the pardon, Kenya has a long journey ahead to rebuild trust following a string of doping violations. Being a country that dominantly excels in athletics, with several Olympic and world medals over the years, not to mention Commonwealth and continental feats, we cannot afford to reach such levels in future, where the country risks a ban because of the mistakes of individuals.

New Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has already sent positive indications by assuring the government’s commitment to getting rid of the vice and allocating hundreds of millions of shillings to the fight against doping through the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

 But the minister’s goodwill is not enough. The battle can only be won by a collective approach involving the local federation, the athletes’ body, media and the athletes’ coaches and managers.

The government must also make use of multi-agencies to ensure that the vice is tamed.

Pardons by Fifa and World Athletics should act as a second chance for Kenya. Every player must get it right to ensure the country competes without blemish and regains its respect in the global arena as it has done previously.

Similarly, it applies to football. A lot was lost during the one-year the country was out of action, but after this week’s decision to lift the sanctions, the game’s administrators and the ministry should strive at making the sport great again.

Double ban decisions should awaken us to put our house in order.