In spite of several doping cases involving the country’s athletes, Kenya Athletics has managed to avoid being blacklisted by World Athletics.
The world athletics body stepped down further punishments as there are currently 55 Kenyan athletes serving doping bans, threatening the integrity of the sport in the nation.
Kenya was grouped as a ‘Category A’ nation by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) earlier this year – one of the seven nations to attain the highest doping risk status.
At a conference in Rome on Wednesday, President of World Athletics Sebastian Coe stated that the governing body would not impose a blanket ban on the East African powerhouse but would instead closely monitor their future conduct.
‘World Athletics has been concerned,” Coe said after the World Athletics Council meeting.
“Kenya has been on the watch list for a few years already. In one year, 40% of all the positive tests in global athletics have been in Kenya and this is not a situation that World Athletics was prepared to sit and watch develop,” he revealed
“This was not something that the sport – and certainly not something that World Athletics – was prepared just to sort of sit and allow to develop.”
In response, the Kenyan government has pledged to contribute about $5 million a year over the next five years to support anti-doping efforts by conducting more tests and providing education on anti-doping practices.
Coe also stressed his delight with the actions of the Kenyan government, saying, “I’m pleased that we’ve got a united response here.”
“Building back trust will be a long journey – I know that the Kenyan federation, Kenyan government feels this has been a disfiguring period in what should have been a Herculean period for Kenyan athletics.
“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,” he added.
Athletes suffering suspensions in connection with the current doping controversy in the country include former Boston marathon champions Lawrence Cherono and Diana Kipyoeki.
Any worries about being blacklisted or stripped of their World Athletics membership like Russia was in 2015, however, have been allayed.
