Runners warned against doping

Local athletes have been advised to live responsibly, and to watch the medication that they take during the current lockdown occasioned by  Covid-19 pandemic.

On Monday, Athletics Kenya (AK) Director of Youth and Development Barnaba Korir warned athletes against using substance that may affect their performances even as they train in isolation at home.

“Athletes will be tested even at this time that there is no competition and I urge them to avoid banned substance, and to train clean always. We don’t want Kenya to go the Russian way and we are working hard to fight the doping menace,” said Korir.

He also urged athletes to always declare their whereabouts so as to avoid being suspended because failure to do so is an offence, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

“Athletes must give their whereabouts because that is another thing which has led to the suspension of athletes. That’s carelessness and we are trying to talk to the athletes to always follow the laid down rules in order to be in the right track,” he said. 

Korir said AK will this week engage retired athletes and elite athletes in a webinar with AIU as one way of finding out how the doping menace can be eradicated.

For his part, Chief Sports Officer in Nandi County Kennedy Tanui said his team is preparing a Bill that will criminalise doping in the region.

If signed into law, Tanui said it will see people dealing in performance-enhancing drugs and complicit athletes being jailed.

“Nandi County has been known as the source of champions and we want to preserve that legacy. The county assembly is working on a bill that will ensure those using drugs are punished,” said Tanui.

Tanui also said Nandi County has finalised a programme that will enable 12 athletes preparing for Diamond League races to use Eliud Kipchoge Sports Complex track.

“We have discussed with coaches on how two athletes will be training using the track, which is in good condition now and when they exit, another two can use it as we enforce social distancing,” said Tanui.

According to World Athletics, the provisional calendar will see a number of Wanda Diamond League meetings go ahead as one-off exhibition events, while others will be staged as adapted Wanda Diamond League meetings.

There will be no events in July and the first half of August (other than national championships where possible), and the season will instead be extended into October.