Pass anti-doping bill, Keino urges MPs
Athletics
By
Omulo Okoth
| Mar 30, 2016
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has appealed to parliamentarians to fast-track the Anti-Doping Bill. The bill was to be tabled in the National Assembly yesterday.
"The most important thing is that the Bill is finally in Parliament ready to be enacted into law," NOC-K chairman Kipchoge Keino in a statement.
World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) gave Kenya up to April 5 to prove its seriousness in tackling the doping menace or be declared non-compliant to the Wada code. This could visit serious sanctions on Kenyan sports, that may include suspension from international competitions, including the Olympic Games.
“With the Wada deadline of April 5 when we must have passed the law prohibiting doping, or we are declared non-compliant to WADA Code, and our Parliament going on recess on Thursday until April 10, we only have one day – Wednesday to pass this Bill into law.
“I am pleading with our members of Parliament to consider the future of this country, the future of the youth of this country, the legacy of this country and spare no effort in passing this bill into law on Wednesday so that the President can assent it to law,” pleaded Dr Keino (pictured).
He said Brazil passed their anti-doping law in one day.
“We cannot gamble with the future of this country, knowing what crucial role sports has played and continue to play in the economy of this great nation. We cannot afford to be banned from Olympics because that will be a disaster for our great nation,” he said.
“I am pleading with our MPs to rise above partisan interests and put the nation ahead of everything else to pass this crucial piece of law. It will remove any doubt in the minds of the world that we are serious with doping matters,” he said.
Meanwhile, former two-time Boston City Marathon champion, Moses Tanui, has told off the Ministry of Sport for hiring a top executive to run next year’s World Youth Championships. Mwangi Muthee, former Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Chairman, was named as the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Organising Committee after former Athletics Kenya Chief Executive, Isaac Mwangi, was suspended by the world governing body, IAAF. Mwangi was alleged to have solicited a bribe from two athletes serving a dope ban ostensibly to reduce their bans.
“Even if AK has not performed well, should that be used as an excuse to ignore the contribution of athletes to the development of sports in Kenya?” posed Tanui.
“I expected top ministry officials to consult widely before making such an announcement. Athletes like Dr Mike Boit, Julius Kariuki or Julius Korir, can run a championship like this,” he said.