Coe: You can run but not hide, testing remains priority

It will be foolhardy for anybody to think that doping tests won’t be done during the coronavirus lockdown, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has warned.

He said that while testing could be complicated and challenging than before owing to flight restrictions around the world, the process would continue locally where restrictions are minimal.

“Yes, we have challenges where testing officials are unable to fly in and out of countries where borders are closed and airlines restricted, but we are still testing, monitoring and operating.

“My message to the athletes is that be part of our sport and don’t step aside from it since it will be foolhardy in thinking that there is no testing going on at the moment…there is testing ,” Coe said in an interview with CGTN Africa on Sunday.

With cases of unknown whereabouts and Athletes Blood Passport violation on the rise, Coe said that they are not worried since what Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) is doing is positive and a sign that they systems are working well.

Among the latest athletes who have been flagged down because of their whereabouts and ABP violation are former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang, former London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru and former World Under-20 800 metre champion Alfred Kipketer.

“AIU is making sure that we control the sport and uphold the highest level of integrity particularly in anti-doping and we are there to protect clean athletes,” Coe said.

The World Athletics supremo affirmed that their first priority is to make sure that clean athletes can train and compete without fear of being bullied by drug cheats.

In a separate interview with K24 Television, Coe said that they have been in constant interaction with Athletics Kenya and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) and other regional anti-doping agencies hence are well up to date with the progress being made in the fight against doping.

Coe said he is proud to have established and funded a testing laboratory in Nairobi in 2018, a move that took the battle against doping to the next level since tests are now being done locally.

“It’s the only one of its kind not only in Kenya but in Africa. Previously, samples had to leave Africa to be tested and the distance involved wasn’t helpful. We are heading the right direction,” he said.

Coe said that Kenya must, at all costs, protect its rich history and heritage in athletics. “We must ensure that image is not damaged or disfigured by doping,” he said.

Despite sustained efforts to fight doping, Kenya remains in category A of the global body’s watch-list with a high prevalence of cases.