Adak intensifies campaign to fight scourge

As reports trickled in that reigning Olympic and London marathon champion Jemima Sumgong has failed a drugs test, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) stepped up its campaign to educate athletes on the need to win clean.

Adak has launched a campaign targeted at reaching over half a million sportsmen and not athletes to fight the use of banned substances which now seem to be gaining root in Kenya.

The 32-year-old Sumgong tested positive for banned substance EPO in an out -of-competition test carried out by athletics' governing body the IAAF.

Sumgong - the first Kenyan to win Olympic marathon gold - was due to defend her London title on April 23.

Kenya was last year declared in breach of anti-doping rules, and athletes underwent special testing for Rio 2016. The country was deemed "non-compliant" by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), but was reinstated before last summer's Games.

Between 2011 and 2016, more than 40 Kenyan track-and-field athletes failed doping tests.

"We can confirm that an anti-doping rule violation case concerning Jemima Sumgong (Kenya) has commenced this week," the IAAF said in a statement.

"The athlete tested positive for EPO (Erythropoietin) following a no-notice test conducted in Kenya.

"This was part of an enhanced IAAF out-of-competition testing programme dedicated to elite marathon runners which is supported by the Abbott World Marathon Majors group."

Adak launched its reach on athletes a month ago and this week staged a road show across Nairobi that was aimed at creating awareness on doping.

"We want our athletes and sportsmen to win clean," Adak Chief Executive Officer Jasper Kiplimo Rugut said.

"These road shows are meant to create awareness and educate our athletes and even non athletes on the dangers of doping," added Rugut.

"We will engage sportsmen, brand ambassadors, government, federations, media and sports lovers in this mission until we ensure that our motto of Stay Clean, Win right is achieved."

Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) will work closely with the media to reach out to sportsmen and women in their mission to sensitise them on doping and its effects.