What Kenya stands to lose in looming anti doping sanctions by WADA including not hosting CHAN

Kenya risks losing a lot in the world of sports if the Anti-doping agency in the country is banned including losing the rights to host CHAN and ending the career of athletes.

Speaking to the media at a press conference on Tuesday, outgoing ADAK chairman Daniel Makdwallo explained that Kenyan sportspeople are the greatest ambassadors and if they are unable to go out there and represent the country, then very little will be known about Kenya.

He explained that the budget cut from Ksh 288 million to Ksh 20 million has immensely affected their operations and they are unable to test athletes. Makdwallo pointed out that they have been unable to conduct their operations, revealing that the only athletes who were tested this year were those who were heading to the Paris Olympic Games.

The Anti-doping Agency of Kenya chairman Daniel Makdwallo has pleaded with the relevant authorities to give more funding to the agency to ensure they resume operations as a sanction looms.

“We haven’t been able to test anybody and the last tests we did were on the athletes who went to the Olympic Games. We had different funding but now, conducting our day-to-day activities has stopped. You can’t run any operations on a budget of Ksh 20 million and it’s not given in lump sum. Anti-doping programs have stalled. We need our young people to continue doing what they like,” he shared.

On her part, ADAK CEO Sarah Shibutse explained that if they are sanctioned, the country will not be able to host any international events and Kenyan athletes will not be allowed to race in international events.

As things stand, CHAN, which was scheduled to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania might not be held in Kenya due to the challenge that ADAK is facing. The tournament is scheduled for next year in February.

The World Cross Country Championships, also scheduled for early next year, might see Kenyan athletes fail to compete if ADAK is declared redundant and is unable to bounce back in good time and test the athletes.

“Yes, if we are declared non-compliant by the World Anti-doping Agency by the end of this year and we are unable to get out of the non-compliant status, by the time we are supposed to host CHAN, then for sure we shall not be able to host. I’m hopeful that AFCON is a few years ahead and by then we shall have bounced back to compliance and we shall be able to host. The immediate threat would be the CHAN,” Shibutse said.

She explained that the World Anti-doping Agency is always keen on ensuring every nation tests their athletes and conducts the necessary education but failure to do so, the country will be banned and that is where Kenya is headed.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe is among seven candidates seeking the International Olympics Committee presidency as current holder Thomas Bach’s terms comes to an end.

Shibutse pointed out that it would be unfair for Kenyan athletes to go and race athletes from other nations who have undergone the necessary testing requirements. She explained that they will have to take a month or two to bounce back if the case gets worse but fingers are crossed to ensure ADAK is not sanctioned.

“The World Anti-doping Agency, what happens, is that when the national anti-doping organisation is unable to carry out any testing programs, any anti-doping education programs, and a spillover to the results management which is the legal prosecution of any anti-doping rule violations or any intelligence and investigations, then that means no anti-doping programs is running in that country,” she said.

“They do not want to run the risk of Kenyan athletes participating in international events with other athletes from other countries who are undergoing a robust anti-doping program. They will then declare the national anti-doping non-compliant and once that is the case, then the country as a whole will have to take responsibility and cannot participate in any international event or host an international event,” she added.