Kenya faces WADA Non-compliance allegations ahead of World championships
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has declared the Kenya’s Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) non-compliant with its code, citing unresolved issues from a May 2023 audit. Unless contested within 21 days, sanctions will take effect on October 2 immediately after the World Championships in Tokyo.
Potential consequences include loss of WADA funding, exclusion from agency programs, and a ban on Kenyan officials holding WADA positions.
Kenya would also be barred from hosting international sporting events a significant blow as the country plans bids for the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships.
Kenyan athletics continues to grapple with doping violations. This year alone, 19 athletes have been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), and six including marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich are provisionally suspended.
In a related development, Ethiopian 1500m silver medalist Diribe Welteji has been provisionally suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following an AIU appeal.
Cleared last month by Ethiopian authorities, she will now miss the World Championships during arbitration.
The decisions underscore growing scrutiny on East African athletics and heighten pressure for systemic anti-doping reforms.
Source: bbc.com
