ADAK suspends 33 Kenyan athletes for doping

More than ever before, 33 athletes have been provisionally suspended by the Kenyan Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) for violations of various doping rules.

Among those suspended are 26 from athletics, there are further cases each in basketball and rugby and one from handball.

This is the highest number of athletes that the ADAK has banned for doping since January last year, when 20 athletes were given the red flag.

Those suspended include 2023 Amsterdam Marathon winner Joshua Belet and KCB rugby player Brian Wahinya.

Belet, 26, was suspended due to the presence of the banned anabolic androgenic steroids testosterone, adiol, pregnanediol, androsterone and etiocholanolone.

He represented Kenya in the marathon at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

In addition, the ADAK has imposed various bans of up to a maximum of four years in 16 cases.

ADAK legal representative Bildad Rogoncho attributed the increase in doping cases to increased testing after the government increased the country’s anti-doping programs by 600 million shillings annually.

Rogoncho said the funds have enabled them to attend training camps across the country and conduct more out-of-competition testing, especially on second- and third-tier competitive athletes.

“Due to lack of resources, we did not have the data of most of these athletes, but now we are able to reach many of them and we would like to thank Athletics Kenya for that,” Rogoncho said.

ADAK’s legal advisors said that none of the dopers would sneak away to competitions because their travel documents would be checked upon entry.

“We are also working with other national anti-doping agencies outside the country so that they can test Kenyan athletes at all races around the world,” Rogoncho said.

“Some of these athletes have competed in smaller races, even in Peru, because they thought we weren’t based there.”

Belet, who won bronze in Hamburg last year, was unable to finish his race at a championship where Kenyan athletes failed to secure podium places.

Last year was his debut season in the full marathon.

Also suspended are Dorcas Jepchumba Kimeli, who represented Kenya at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships and finished 11th, and 2012 U20 5,000m world champion David Kiprotich Bett.

Jepchumba was accused of manipulating or tampering with parts of the doping control, while Betts’ samples were found to contain the banned substance 19-norandrosterone.

Sprinters Duke Osoro Ogoti and Joan Jeruto are also on the list of banned athletes.

Ogoti tested positive for anabolic androgenic steroids, while Jeruto evaded, refused and did not submit to sample collection.

Wahinya, a former Kenya Simbas and Kenya Sevens player, was suspended along with fellow rugby players Charlton Mokua and Zeden Lutomia Marrow (both Kenya Harlequin).

The three were suspended due to the presence of the banned substance cannabinoids, which is associated with Cannabis sativa.

Similar allegations have been made against basketball players Alex N’sasse Ramazani and Albert Einstein Onyango Odero (Nairobi City Thunder) regarding the presence of cannabinoids.

Another basketball player, James Mwangi Maina (Nairobi City Thunder), was found to be in possession of banned substances (stimulants/methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

Rogoncho said the athletes concerned would have the opportunity to present their cases before a final decision is made.

“If they consumed cannabis sativa just before the Games, that’s a two-year ban. But if they took it out of competition and can prove they didn’t use it to enhance performance, they’ll be banned for three months,” Rogoncho said.

“If they plead guilty and agree to rehabilitation, they will be banned for one month.”