AK warns dopers of severe punishment
By Charles.Thuku, September 8, 2022Athletics Kenya (AK) yesterday expressed concern over the escalating cases of doping cases amongst elite runners which could put the country in trouble with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
In a statement, AK said it will have zero tolerance on the use of banned performance enhancing substances and that it will work with various organs to educate athletes on the same.
“As a federation, we continue to take all possible measures to educate athletes, coaches, teachers and all personnel involved in the professional athletics ecosystem, and exhort them to act in compliance with the AIU, World Athletics and Kenya Anti-Doping Act (2016), and especially Article 41(B) that binds all athletes, support personnel, coaches, trainers, managers, team staff, official medical or paramedical personnel to the World Anti-Doping Code,’’ the statement read.
In a nutshell, AK announced that in order to enforce the law and remain within the confines of the Kenya Anti-Doping Act (2016) it has enacted measures that will help in the fight against the offence with effect from early October 2022.
“With effect from October, 1, 2022, Athletics Kenya will commence the registration of athletics training camps including details of all personnel in residence therein and their respective roles vis-a-vis the athletes,” said AK.
The remedial measure also entails regulating and certifying all coaches attached to Kenyan athletes, among others.
“Athletics Kenya will regulate, examine and certify all coaches working with Kenyan athletes within the country and without. Henceforth, it will be mandatory for all coaches handling Kenyan athletes in any jurisdiction to have requisite certification from the governing body,” read the statement.
“Kenyan athletes must seek licensing to carry out their professional duties from Athletics Kenya. The Federation will subsequently forward approved applications from such persons operating within Kenya to the Department of Immigration for provision of requisite work permits.
AK further reiterated that an embargo will be issued to any foreign coach without clearance to handle local athletes, adding that physical addresses will also be obligatory.
“Any foreign coaches and foreign athlete support personnel without such clearance will not be allowed to operate within the country. All foreign nationals living within areas where Kenyan or other athletes have their training camps and/ or conduct their training programmes within the country must indicate their physical addresses and particulars of their local contact persons,’ the association stated.
“We reassure the public, athletes and supporters of the sport that we at Athletics Kenya shall not relent in the fight against the use of banned performance-enhancing substances. We have reinvigorated the intelligence and investigation unit with an aim of dismantling the cartels and taking the war on doping to a new level,” AK stressed.