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The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has warned athletes that not all food supplements are safe and may result in anti-doping violations.

Speaking during an anti-doping seminar in Eldoret on Thursday, ADAK’s Director of Education and Research Agnes Wanjiru Mandu said that it has been proven that some supplements are not good for athletes beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mandu said an International Olympics Committee (IOC) research has established that not all food supplements are clean.

“Sometimes our athletes take food supplements which are contaminated not because they want to dope but because they think all food supplements are clean, in the process they find food supplements are laced with prohibited substances,” said Mandu.

“The IOC did a research on food supplements and found out that one out of four packets is contaminated so it is very easy for them to get contaminated food supplements,” Said Mandu.

However, she warned athletes who have been sanctioned on whereabouts, saying it is sad to find Kenyan athletes sanctioned on such issues.

“Whereabouts is not like an athlete has doped but it is an issue of feeding their data and it is very sad for our athletes because that is negligence,” she said.

ADAK has been collaborating with Athletics Kenya to educate athletes about doping.

“We want to make sure that our athletes are clean. Some are tested and found to have doped without their knowledge,” said Mandu.

She added that the rules state that before a major championship, they must have been educated at least three times.

“Before an athlete is tested, he must be educated. After testing positive, the first question will be, did they have any education that weakens the case but when you educate them. We must have three sessions for probables World Championships. For those who did not show up, their case will be weakened when they are prosecuted,” she said.

Mandu added that they have lined up several seminars and outreach programmes. We have athletes who have been in a registered pool and for unclassified groups. We also have workshops for other federations.

The problem may be funding, but we have planned a lot all for our sportsmen and women in Kenya.