Athletics Kenya launches most aggressive anti-doping campaign ahead of Tokyo World Championships
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 08.04.25. | 16:21
Out-of-competition testing is now mandatory, unannounced, and non-negotiable. Missing a test also leads to an automatic disqualification
With the World Championships in Tokyo fast approaching, Athletics Kenya (AK) is leaving no stone unturned in promoting clean sport among athletes.
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AK has placed 444 athletes under strict scrutiny, targeting both local and international stars in what is being described as the country’s most aggressive anti-doping campaign to date.
The move comes amid growing global pressure and a recent wave of high-profile doping cases that have threatened to sink Kenya’s hard-earned legacy in athletics.
Speaking during the fourth leg of the AK track and field meet over the weekend in Nakuru, President Jack Tuwei declared that it is a clean sport, or no sport at all.
Out-of-competition testing is now mandatory, unannounced, and non-negotiable. Missing a test also leads to an automatic disqualification.
“There is more to this than just testing. Athletes need to understand the rules, the timelines, the qualification standards, and how anti-doping systems work.
They must take at least three tests before the July trials. And they must know when and how those tests are scheduled,” Tuwei told The Standard.
Tuwei went on to note that ignorance is no excuse, pointing out that many athletes fall foul to regulations simply by moving without informing authorities of their whereabouts. In anti-doping, absence is as good as a positive test.
He further noted that their mission goes deeper than individual cases, raising the alarm over increasing signs of doping among school-going children. This disturbing trend suggests the problem begins long before professional contracts are signed.
“By the time they become professional athletes, some have already experimented with performance-enhancing drugs. That is devastating,” he said.
Beyond that, AK’s crackdown targets more than just athletes.
“Who supplies the drugs? Who encourages this? The athlete is the one who gets caught, but there is a whole network behind each case. We need to confront the entire system,” he posed.
His sentiments were echoed by Olympic legend Ezekiel Kemboi, who noted that the only true way to earn medals is hard training and discipline.
“There are no shortcuts in life. True victory comes from honest training, discipline, and hard work. Coaches and managers must guide athletes, not push them into paths that ruin careers and stain our legacy,” Kemboi offered.
The crackdown comes in the wake of multiple recent suspensions that have dented Kenya’s image on the global stage.
Among them, Brimin Misoi Kipkorir, a 35-year-old marathoner, was banned for five years after testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO) and furosemide.
In October 2024, Barcelona Half Marathon champion Charles Kipkurui Langat received a two-year suspension. Then there’s the tragic case of Kenya’s golden boy in the 1,500m, Asbel Kiprop, who was stripped of his legacy after a 2019 ban for EPO use.
With suspensions stacking up, Kenya came dangerously close to a blanket ban from World Athletics. This fate can only be avoided through swift reforms and emergency measures.
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