Let’s not celebrate yet despite gains in war against doping

There have been quite some interesting developments in the last few days, or weeks, in the fight against doping in sport.

Principally, Kenya has finally been granted a testing laboratory sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), which means athletes’ samples won’t have to be flown half the world to reach an accredited facility.

Pathologists Lancet Kenya’s facilities have passed the stringent requirements of both the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and will remain Wada’s focal point in the fight against doping.

Elsewhere, another independent testing agency — the International Testing Agency (ITA) — has launched its operations in Lausanne, Switzerland, with its director general, Benjamin Cohen, saying they aim to “restore confidence” in the war against banned performance-enhancing substances.

SERIAL DOPERS

These independent agencies will, hopefully, help restore the confidence of athletes and fans who feel cheated by serial dopers, especially in light of the recent avalanche of positive tests.

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak), under the leadership of former provincial administrator Japhter Rugut, has also done well in steadily fighting for more teeth in the battle against the banned performance-enhancing substances and the latest announcement by the AIU is a fitting reward for their efforts.

That some 114 Kenyans have landed doping bans, and that 54 are under provisional suspension, is cause for concern.

But more worrying is how the athletes caught up in the mess are handling the catastrophe.

PUNISH DRUG CHEATS

While it’s absolutely necessary to punish all drug cheats, unequivocally, it’s even more important to focus on counselling and guidance of those perhaps unwittingly caught up in the mess.

And those who can’t handle the spiralling effects of the free-fall from elite global competition.

Monday’s viral video and images of Kenya’s multiple world 1,500 metres champion Asbel Kiprop in sexually compromising positions perhaps best illustrate the agony top athletes go through after being trapped in the intricate doping web. Clearly, although the jury is still out, Kiprop is at sixes and sevens and has been unable to handle the pressure.

SALVAGE CAREER

It raises more concern that his much-maligned management company appears to have done nothing to try and salvage the career of one of the best milers.

Kiprop and other athletes either banned or under suspension need urgent help. Casting them aside is only recipe for them to self-destruct.

It takes two to tango, and riding on the gains made in the fight against the doping menace, athletes’ agents who fail to prove their innocence must face the full force of the law.

Recently, Adak held a workshop with lawyers to educate them on the Anti-Doping Act of 2016 — which criminalizes doping — with a view to sustaining prosecution, and we really need to see those abetting in the use of banned substances jailed.

STAMP OUT VICE

Managers whose athletes are banned should also be suspended from Athletics Kenya’s list of recognized managers as a way of helping stamp out the vice.

It’s no secret that some unscrupulous coaches are assisting such managers in administering drugs to athletes with a view to getting quick results in competitions, and subsequently splitting the loot, quite often with the athletes bearing the brunt of huge deductions from their prize money and other race earnings.

These coaches and managers are out there, and they are well known to those in the athletics circles. We need whistle-blowers.

Meanwhile, while stakeholders celebrate Lancet’s recognition as a testing lab, we should be wary of the fact that the newfound status could be a poisoned chalice if integrity of the highest order isn’t maintained in the testing process.

GLOBAL COMPETITIONS

We have all seen the dramatic collapse of the unscrupulous Russian laboratories that precipitated Moscow’s lengthy ban from IAAF’s global competitions.

And with the corruption that’s rife in Kenya, only time will tell if the tests in Nairobi will remain tamper-proof.

We shouldn’t celebrate just yet.

Makori is the Editor (Sports) at Nation Media Group: [email protected]