Wada boss expresses confidence in Kenya's fight against doping

Wada's Director of Intelligence and Investigations Gunter Younger (left), Wada President Witold Bańka and Sports CS Salim Mvurya during a media briefing in Nairobi yesterday. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Criminals who are smuggling performance-enhancing drugs into the country and destroying the lives of Kenyan athletes have been warned.

This warning was sounded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) President Witold Banka, even as he expressed confidence in Kenya's doping fight.

Wada officials who had lengthy and separate discussions with athletes, the National Olympic Committee-Kenya, the Sports Ministry, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) and President William Ruto during their three days visit to Kenya now want the country to have a zero tolerance to doping to be a perfect model for Africa.

“We want Kenya to establish a team composed of the police, prosecutors, customs and immigration officials, the NIS and the DCI to wage battle against the bastards who are smuggling illegal steroids.

“They use the drugs to destroy the lives of innocent athletes and their careers,” Banka told a packed press conference last evening in Nairobi.

Banka said the ‘bastards’ are wayward doctors, coaches, athletics officials, immigration personnel among others who are involved in the drug trafficking and smuggling spree.

“As Wada, we want this work not to start tomorrow, but today. We want the ‘Collision of creating clean sport’ in Kenya to start it’s mandate now, and very aggressively,” Banka said.

The Pole, who has been on the helm of Wada since January 2020, said he is convinced he is leaving Kenya with a very strong conviction and positive energy that the fight against doping will be much stronger now than before. “I believe that very soon Kenya will be a great role model to the rest of the continent- on how to effectively fight the doping menace and win the war against these hardened criminal elements who ruin athletes lives,” said Banka.

Wada reiterated that it believes Kenya is indeed the ‘Home Of Champions’ as far as athletics is concerned and it is on this premise that they want the country to be a good host in Africa, starting with its integrity at home.

“This is why it is extremely important that a culture of clean sport and running is established here as soon as possible. We want zero tolerance to doping in this beautiful country of great runners,” Banka said.

Wada indicated that meeting with President Ruto has given the global body the confidence that the requests made and discussed with various entities during their visit will be duly fulfilled, especially on the fight against the drug trafficking criminals.

“We want more aggressive approach on them (criminals), those destroying athletes should be brought to book, because they are jeopardising the reputation not only of athletes but of this great nation,” Banka said.

Banka noted that with the help of law enforcers, countries in Europe have been able to nub over 1.8 billion illegal steroids and performance enhancing drugs in over two decades.

He said it is also very possible in Kenya if Adak is properly funded and made stronger in it’s fight against doping.

On his part, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya who graced the press conference alongside Banka thanked Wada for the visit saying it came at the right time when Kenya is gearing up to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

“As government, we have decided that from now henceforth our athletes will win on a level playground. We are out to advocate for clean sport,” Mvurya said.

Mvurya pledged total support to Adak as the anti doping body performs it’s mandate effectively.

“Kenya is also currently amending it’s legislation policy to resonate and align with Wada’s mandate and framework. We are hopeful that all parties will soon be reading on same script,” Mvurya said.

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Key statistics and facts on doping in Kenya

Total Sanctions: Over 140 doping sanctions have been recorded by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) since 2017.

Most affected sport: Track and field—specifically long-distance running and marathons—accounts for nearly all major cases.

Category status: Kenya remains under close international scrutiny, categorized under high-risk federations by World Athletics, though recent governmental efforts have focused heavily on ramping up testing targets to 5,000 tests annually.

Common violations: These involve prohibited substances (such as triamcinolone acetonide and Furosemide) alongside whereabouts failures.