Wario announces formation of anti-doping body

The Government will gazette a five-member organ next week to deal with doping Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario has said.

The new body will be known as the Kenya Anti-doping Council, and will be headed by former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports James Waweru.

Speaking during the launch of the Kenya Sports Academy at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on Friday, Wario said that the council will roll out anti-doping programmes across the country to educate athletes, and also engage experts in anti-doping research in order to combat the vice.

“Any sportsman who wants to dope should go somewhere else. Our sports must be clean and we will take every measure to ensure that our local athletes continue to win clean. I call upon all federations to support the new council because we cannot eradicate the use of these drugs on our own,” he said.

Moni Wekesa, who chaired an anti-doping task force appointed by Wario in 2013, will also make the five-member body, together with the Government Chemist.

Once gazetted, the government will pump in Shs5.5 million to enable the body financial muscle to conduct its activities. Wario also said that they will enact anti-doping legislation in order to equip the body with legal mandate to tackle the problem.

“Kenya must continue to win legitimately in the same manner we have done through the years. Any sportsman who will be caught using the banned drugs will have their licenses cancelled and their names put in the country’s list of shame,” he said.

World Anti-doping agents are expected in the country this weekend to inspect and evaluate the steps the government has taken in dealing with the scourge, and will conduct related seminars at the Ole Sereni Hotel in the course of next week.