WADA Tormenting Kenya"s Athletics

Kenya is set to be declared in breach of global anti-doping rules, according to the BBC.

The surprise move will mean some of the world’s top athletes are at risk of missing August’s Olympic Games in Rio.

Kenya, one of the major forces in world athletics, has already missed two World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) deadlines to show it is tackling cheating in sport.

Now Wada is expected to rule the country ‘non-compliant’ when its board meets in Montreal on Thursday.

After a series of drugs and corruption scandals, Kenya had been warned to comply with Wada’s rules or face sanctions.

Last month, it finally passed legislation that created a new national anti-doping agency, with President Uhuru Kenyatta personally driving the new law through.

It was widely assumed that the measure would satisfy Wada.

However, it can now be revealed that Wada’s compliance committee has recommended that Kenya should be declared in breach of its code.

The Wada board is expected to accept that recommendation.

It will now be up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or sport’s international federations to decide whether to ban Kenyan athletes from the Rio Games or any other competitions.

They could come under pressure to do so, amid an unprecedented doping crisis and mounting concern over the country’s lack of action against cheating.

Source : BBC

WADA Tormenting Kenya"s Athletics

Kenya Pass Anti - Doping Bill

Kenyan legislators passed a new law on Tuesday in accordance with a demand from the World Anti-doping Agency that will allow the athletics powerhouse to take part at August’s Olympic Games.

Kenya had been threatened with a ban from the Rio Games if the country did not apply new anti-doping legislation to tackle a spate of damaging positive drug tests.

The new law still needs to be signed off by President Uhuru Kenyatta before May 2 in order to meet WADA’s deadline but Kenyan Sports Minister Hassan Wario is celebrating.

“Today is an important day for Kenya because the Anti Doping Bill has been passed. So Olympics here we come,” said Wario.

Kenyatta previously said on April 11 that the adoption of the new bill was a priority.

The new law creates a national anti-doping agency and gives lawmakers the possibility to imprison for up to a year and fine those found guilty of doping up to $1,000.

As for those found guilty of supplying or administering doping products, they could face three years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

WADA will meet on May 12 to discuss the Kenyan case. They had already given the East African nation two extensions to get its anti-doping house in order.

Kenya Pass Anti - Doping Bill

Wada Extends Kenya"s Anti - Doping Deadline

Kenya were on Thursday given a new deadline of May 2 by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to implement Wada’s code or risk missing out on the Rio Olympics.

Kenya had already missed a February 11 deadline.

Wada in a statement said “Unless the bill, policy and Adak’s (Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya) rules are formally adopted by 2 May 2016, the Compliance Review Committee’s recommendation to the Wada Foundation Board will be to declare the ADAK non-compliant”.

Kenya had been placed on a ‘watch-list’ of nations at risk of breaching its code and given until April 5 to prove it was tackling drug taking in sport.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday expressed his hope that athletes from the east African track giants would compete at the August Olympics despite doubts over the country’s anti-doping legislation.

An IAAF decision on Russia, currently banned from world athletics over allegations of systematic doping, will also be taken in May.

 

Wada Extends Kenya"s Anti - Doping Deadline