Kenya Anti-Doping Agency launches campaign against doping

Former Olympic champion Dr. Kipchoge Keino and CEO Anti Doping Association of Kenya (ADAK) Japhter Rugut follow the session during Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario courtesy call to the Uasin Gishu County Government offices. Wario defended Kenyan athletes against cases of doping following an expose by a German TV and British newspaper. The CS later paid a visit to the Team Kenya Olympic Camp at the High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret. 12-07-2016. PHOTOS BY: KEVIN TUNOI

As reports tickled in that reigning Olympic and London marathon champion Jemima Sumgong has failed a drugs test, Kenya Anti-Doping Agency (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 just athletes to fight the use of banned substances which now seem to be gaining root in Kenya.

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.”

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.

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.

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

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 the Rio Olympics. The country was deemed “non-compliant” by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but was reinstated before the Rio Games.

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