Doping: Kenya offers more funds for anti-doping lab

Kenya’s increased budgetary allocation to sports will be used to fund an expansive anti-doping laboratory in Nairobi, which will accommodate more tests, said Cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed.

Amina, who was speaking to reporters after touring the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), said part of the Sh14 billion government budget fund will be used to stage the three international competitions planned for Kenya in the 2020/21 season.

It will also use the funds to prepare the country’s team for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games and other international competitions.

Kenya is to stage the World Athletics Continental Tour series this September, the 2021 WRC Safari Rally, and the postponed World Athletics U-20 Championship, which had been due to be held in Nairobi this July.

Kenya has intensified its drug testing procedures, with over 60 athletes suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for doping-related offenses in the last five years.

“I paid a courtesy call on the ADAK and affirmed the provision of the requisite financing to the agency and also evaluated priority projects such as the expansion of the anti-doping laboratory in Nairobi to accommodate more tests,” Mohamed said.

Kenya’s government has also started a stimulus program to bail out vulnerable athletes whose earnings have been affected by the pandemic.

Mohamed said each athlete selected will receive the equivalent of 100 U.S. dollars every month for the next three months.

Meanwhile, Olympic 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk said he is “100% ready” to return to action when lockdown lifts.

“There were days when I couldn’t walk,” said the 400m world record-holder, who has been out of action with a knee injury since 2017.