Kenya has announced a rigorous anti-doping regime for its athletes ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, officials said Wednesday.
Athletics Kenya (AK) President Jackson Tuwei stated that 444 contenders have been identified for a three-stage drug testing program. The initiative is being coordinated with Kenyan and World Athletics anti-doping agencies to ensure compliance.
“Athletes may be subject to both in-competition and out-of-competition testing,” Tuwei told reporters. He warned that failure to comply with testing authorities or sample collection procedures could jeopardize an athlete’s eligibility.
The measures continue Kenya’s crackdown on doping, which began before the Paris Olympics. The country has faced mounting scrutiny after numerous drug scandals, including violations leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Nearly 130 Kenyan athletes, primarily long-distance runners, have been sanctioned for doping offenses since 2017.
In March, former half-marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) over allegations of evading or refusing to submit a sample.
Kenya remains on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) watchlist, despite the government’s $25 million investment over five years to combat the issue. WADA Director General Olivier Niggli recently expressed concerns about continued doping violations, calling Kenya “a concern for a number of years.”
However, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, during a visit to Kenya earlier this month, acknowledged progress in the country’s fight against doping. The latest measures aim to reinforce Kenya’s commitment to clean athletics as it prepares for the global stage in Tokyo this September.
