Kenya is the latest country to come under scrutiny from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) after failing to investigate a spike in athletes testing positive for banned substances.

Since the start of last year 17 Kenyan runners have failed doping tests, compared with two between 2010 and 2012. However a taskforce to examine the extent of the problem, which was promised by the Kenyan authorities in October 2012, has yet to report back.

The German broadcaster ARD also alleged that some Kenyan athletes were being supplied with banned substances in exchange for a percentage of their winnings from races, prompting Wada to visit the country in October 2012. Yet the organisation admits it is dismayed by the lack of progress.

Wada agitated
"We are very frustrated," said Wada's Africa office director Rodney Swigelaar.

“It’s more than a year now since we went there in October and even longer since the rumours started to spread. We have not been informed that this task team is in place. Officially I cannot say where they are at with their investigation.”

The issue is to be discussed at Wada’s conference in Johannesburg next month. The anti-doping agency has no powers to directly sanction Kenya’s sports authorities, but it can rule that they are non-compliant with its code and then it is up to the International Olympic Committee to decide whether a nation’s athletes should be banned from competing at the Olympic Games.

The news comes as Wada’s three-man team completes its visit to Jamaica, where it has been conducting an extraordinary audit into the the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (Jadco). Wada decided to act following the revelations from Jadco’s former executive director Renee Anne Shirley about the lax testing procedures as well as a spate of positive tests over the summer.

It is understood that Wada is reviewing Jadco’s drug testing programme, staffing, governance and education programme, although it is not expected to make its findings public immediately.

Such an audit is not planned for Kenya, yet, but Swigelaar has warned that the country faces being reported for non-compliance of the Wada code if it fails to act.

“We have been patient. We have been extremely patient,” he said. “Wherever these things happen, it’s our role to go in there and ask what is wrong and why people are not complying with the code. I’m not saying we are going the Jamaica route. Whatever is happening in Jamaica, we are still hoping that the Kenyans will stay true to their word, implement the investigation and tell the world whatever they were able to uncover.”

Unified approach
"If their athletes are clean and there's no problem, then that's fine. And then if there is a problem, let's see how we can work together."

The Kenya authorities blame the delay on logistical issues – including the appointment of a new sports minister after national elections in March – as well as the terrorist attack on the Westgate shopping mall in the capital Nairobi last month.

Another problem is the lack of a Wada-accredited blood testing laboratory in the country, which means it is difficult to collect and analyse samples.

However, Kenya Athletics’ vice-president David Okeyo has pledged to do whatever it takes to stamp out doping.

“Kenyan athletes must run clean,” he said. “It is the only sport that sells Kenya worldwide. There’s not an event we run in Kenya where we aren’t carrying out the doping. That shows that we are very serious with the doping issue. And if you are caught to have cheated, then we deal with you according to the law.”

Meanwhile, Matthews Kisorio, the highest-profile Kenyan to have tested positive, has claimed that many of his countrymen are using illegal performance-enhancers.

Kisorio, who has competed in world cross-country championships and ran the third fastest half-marathon ever, told the German broadcaster ARD last year that he took illegal drugs “because everyone told me. I wasn’t the only one – and none of the others got caught for doping.”

Greedy medics
He added: "I know that a lot of medical substances are used, which are injected straight to the blood for the body to have more oxygen.

“And when you run, you run so smooth. You have more stamina.

“When the prize money comes in the doctors want a piece of your success. There are some doctors who settle down in popular athlete areas where you can find the training camps.

"These men just open a pharmacy and claim they are just selling legal medication. Then they approach the athletes. It is the same all over the country."
Guardian Service