Deputy President adds his voice to war against doping

Deputy President William Ruto during the interview at his home in Eldoret on December 24, 2014. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • The Deputy President wants athletes’ managers aiding and abetting use of banned performance-enhancing substances their athletes reined in immediately to help protect the Kenya’s good name.
  • Wekesa and his team also unearthed disturbing findings and made several recommendations to the Sports ministry, accusing Athletics Kenya of not giving the doping problem the seriousness it deserves.

Kenya’s doping crisis has attracted the attention of the Presidency, with Deputy President William Ruto calling for stringent measures to be taken to defend the country’s hard-earned athletics image.

The Deputy President wants athletes’ managers aiding and abetting use of banned performance-enhancing substances their athletes reined in immediately to help protect the Kenya’s good name.

Ruto’s remarks come hot on the heels of a positive Erythropoietin (EPO) ‘B’ sample having been returned on beleaguered Boston and Chicago Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo, and also after a damning probe report pointed at massive loopholes in Kenya’s anti-doping wars.

Multiple marathons champion Rita Jeptoo leaves Riadha House on November 4, 2014. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

The world focused on numerous positive tests by Kenyan athletes in 2014, a year that also saw the commissioning of a special team, led by university law lecturer Moni Wekesa to investigate the prevalence of doping in Kenya.

The Wekesa report, released in April, disclosed that, in the recent past, 37 athletes tested positive for banned substances, with the number increasing to 40 with other positive tests later in the year, including that of Jeptoo.

Wekesa and his team also unearthed disturbing findings and made several recommendations to the Sports ministry, accusing Athletics Kenya of not giving the doping problem the seriousness it deserves.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario has since come out fighting, taking numerous positive strides including the commissioning of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and reaching out to China, Qatar and Norway to help set up doping controls in Kenya.

In an exclusive Christmas interview with Sunday Nation Sport, the Deputy President said it was unfortunate that the good precedence set by Kenya’s pioneer athletes was being tarnished by the scourge of drug usage in athletics.

UNFORTUNATE SITUATION

“That (doping) is an unfortunate situation that is coming into our country,” the Deputy President said. “Kenya has stood out for decades, since the 1960s when Ben Jipcho, Kipchoge Keino and many others were involved in sports and we never had instances of doping.

“It is only in the last year or two that we have begun to see Kenyans suspected or tested and found to be using drugs.

“We have natural talent and it should not be corrupted by people looking for short cuts, and most of the explanations we are getting from Athletics Kenya are associated with (pointing accusing fingers at) some of the managers of our sportsmen.

It is my sincere hope that those behind the doping problem are reined in as early as now so that it does not get to a situation where they ruin our sportsmen and women or even ruin our status as a country.”

Speaking to the Sunday Nation Sport separately, Wario confirmed plans are in top gear to set up ADAK whose head office will be at Kencom House adjacent to his ministry’s headquarters.

“Norway and China are baby-sitting the process of setting up the Anti-Doping Association of Kenya,” Wario said, adding that the government will from next year be involved in the registration of athletes’ managers as a way of controlling their operations and association with Kenyan athletes.

“We want to be more in control of the agents – these people handle your stars but do you know them?” asked Wario. “The law is clear that the Registrar of Sports registers organisations and individuals.”

Matthew Kisorio crosses the finish line to win the UAP Ndakaini Half Marathon on September 13, 2014 in Ndakaini. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION

The Sports ministry is working with its Immigration counterpart to start issuing work permits to agents many of whom come to Kenya on tourist visas.

“Athletics has brought a lot of glory and Athletics Kenya has done its best. We are now at a stage where we have to put together legislation as the State – the days of Kipchoge Keino and those of David Rudisha are totally different,” the Cabinet Secretary said, highlighting the fact that the arrival of huge prize monies had transformed athletics, bringing with it the pressure on athletes to perform.

He is confident that the Sports Act 2013 will play an important oversight role, saying education on the hazards of doping is imperative.

“Doping today is like where HIV/Aids was 30 years ago but from awareness increased through education, now the average Kenyan understands about HIV/Aids.”

The CS said that education will begin from the school level also targeting school teachers who traditionally coach pupils and students. “The bulk of our stars are from schools and these are targeted by the agents. We need to start with educating the school coach.”

In his report, Wekesa complains that most of the athletes’ agents are foreigners with some of them “in a hurry to make a quick buck.”

“If things continue this way and nothing is done, then the doping issue will erode Kenya’s credibility,” Wekesa added. “But luckily for us, the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) and the International Olympic Committee have come up and said we must clean up.”

The Moni Wekesa report emphasises that the doping problem will only be solved if agents are registered by the government, anti-doping legislation in place by the end of 2015 and if the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya starts educating athletes.

ROLE MODELS

“Money is the driving force and if we remove the incentive of too much money in sports, then doping will be stopped,” argues Wekesa who pushes for athletes themselves to provide role models in the fight against doping.

“We need those who have never tested positive to say why we need a drug-free sport and we need those who have tested positive to say it does not pay to cheat.”

Besides Wekesa, who holds doctorates in law and sports medicine, other members of the task force on anti-doping included John Njogu, Sarah Shibutse, Julius Ogeto, Esther Getambu, Njeri Onyango, Stephen Karinga and Leonard Kariuki.

Others were Benjamin Kogo, Alan Kosgei, Eddie Ndonga Kaddebe and Scholastica Mbito.

The negative global publicity coming out of doping in Kenya will most certainly mean that Kenyan athletes will be under more pressure to perform in the 2015 season to prove that it’s not doping that brings the country medals but sheer hard work and serious training.

KENYANS CORNERED SO FAR

MEN

Jynocel Onyancha  Basweti: Tested positive for Boldenone, January 22, 2012; Banned for two years.

Wilson Loyanaye Erupe: Tested positive for Erythropoietin (Epo), January 4, 2014; Banned for two years ban

Nahashon Kimaiyo: Tested positive for Prednisolone, November 25, 2012. One year ban.

Ben Andrew Kimutai: Tested positive for Dexamethasone, November 18, 2012. One year ban.

Nixon Kiplagat: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, November 4. Banned for two years

Mathew Kisorio: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, June 14, 2014. Banned for two years.

Moses Kiptoo Kurgat: Tested positive for Salbutamol, October 23, 2012. Banned for two years.

Cosmas Kyeva: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, February 5, 2012. Banned for two years.

Anthony Wairuri: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, October 28, 2012. Banned for two year.

WOMEN

Salome Jerono Biwott: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, October 28, 2012. Banned for two years.

Lilian Jelagat: Tested positive for Erythropoietin (Epo), June 29, 2014. Banned for two years.

Peris Jepkorirm: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, July 5, 2013. Banned for two years

Pauline Kahenya: Prednisone and Prednisolone, March 3, 2013. One-year ban.

Genoveva KIgen: Tested positive for Clenbuterol, July 28, 2012. Banned for two years.

Rael Kiyara: Tested for Norandrosterone, April 29, 2012. Banned for two years.

Asiba Nyaboke: Tested positive for Norandrosterone, November 4, 2012. Banned for two years.

Ronald Ruto: Erythropoietin, April 23, 2012. Banned for two years.

Viola Chelangat Kimetto: Norandrosterone, December 1, 2013. Banned for two years.

Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo: April 20, 2014, Norandrosterone. Banned for two years.

PENDING CASES

Rita Jeptoo Sitienei:Erythropoietin (Epo), September 25,  2014

Elizabeth Jebet Chelagat

Philip Kibiwot Kandie, Epo January 2014.

Maunga James Nyakabira

Ndirangu Alice

Isaac Kimaiyo Kemboi

Bernard Mwendia Muthoni