State to resuscitate anti-doping agency committee

  By GILBERT WANDERA

Rodney Swigelaar (right), director, Wada Africa, addresses media as Tom May (left), senior manager of Wada and Sports minister Hassan Wario follow proceedings, yesterday.  [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO]

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario has said the Government will reconstitute the Kenya Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) by next month to help fight doping among athletes.

Wario said he would gazette new Wada board members and also set aside some money for it to work in the next financial year.

The minister was speaking when he held a meeting with officials from the Wada during which he also reiterated the Government’s commitment to fight the vice.

“We will take advantage of the current environment and support that we have received from various agencies in fighting the vice,” he said.

Wario also said the Government has approved new funds for the task force appointed to investigate doping among local athletes.

The committee’s work was on the verge of stalling due to lack of funding, putting at risk the careers of local athletes.

“This a very important task and we gave the committee an initial Sh4.5million seed money to start work.  However, along the way their mandate grew and they needed more money.

“We have already approved funds to allow them to carry on with their work,” said Wario.

The Cabinet secretary said there was need to create awareness about doping as a preventive measure.

He also said they are considering setting up a testing laboratory in Kenya but this will have to be looked into against the costs and how frequently it would be in use.

Committee chairman Moni Wekesa said their report would be ready at the end of March after the committee failed to meet the initial deadline of January 11.

Wekesa last week raised the alarm that the committee risked not finishing its work after members exhausted the initial budget of Sh4.5million given to them by the Government.

“We want to assure all stakeholders that the report will be ready by the end of March and no stone will be left unturned in tackling this issue,” he said.

Speaking at the same meeting, Rodney Swigelaar, the Wada director for Africa, said while the delay was unfortunate, they were ready to wait for the committee to complete its work.

“We are waiting for the report and then we will have to decide whether Kenya is compliant or not,” he said.