The government’s decision to engage World Athletics in the fight against doping among athletes, and Kenya’s multi-pronged approach to dealing with the doping menace, is a step in the right direction.
In the last four years, 90 Kenyan athletes have been banned, 30 of them being sanctioned last year alone. In the run-up to the 2022 World Athletics Council meeting held on November 30 in Rome, there were fears that the global athletics body would ban the country’s athletes from international races due to the high prevalence of doping.
But the country breathed a sigh of relief as the global athletics body expressed satisfaction with Kenya’s detailed plan for tackling the problem.
In particular, Kenya’s commitment to spend Sh3.7 billion in the next five years in the war against doping, and the multi-pronged approach to tackling the menace impressed World Athletics.
This week, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe visited Kenya and held talks with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.
Afterwards, Coe expressed satisfaction that the doping menace was getting attention from the top leadership of the country. It is time Kenya implemented the good plan it has laid down. The country must ride on the goodwill it enjoys at World Athletics to stamp out the vice.
Coe’s choice of Kenya as a holiday destination also speaks volumes with regard to the country’s standing globally as a tourist destination.
President William Ruto’s promise that the government will go the extra mile in protecting the integrity of athletics, and his pledge to work towards stamping out the vice should be followed by action.
