Kenya must be 'clean' to be credible, says Wada chief

Witold Banka said Kenya must build a culture of clean sport to remain credible as host of the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Kenya calls itself the “home of champions,” he noted, but a host must also be clean. This matters because doping can damage the reputation of both the athletes and the country.

Banka received a commitment from President William Ruto’s government to pursue zero tolerance for doping. He also discussed making the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya independent and ensuring it receives enough government support. These steps are meant to strengthen the system that prevents, detects and investigates rule-breaking.

Kenya was chosen to host the championships in September, becoming the first African country selected for the event. More than 140 Kenyan athletes have been suspended since 2017. Wada will monitor progress, but Banka warned that promises will not be enough. Kenya must produce evidence that its anti-doping system works before and during 2029.

Doping means using prohibited performance-enhancing substances or methods in sport. It can unfairly improve performance and undermine trust in results. Clean sport means athletes compete without breaking anti-doping rules, while authorities protect fairness through education, testing, investigations and sanctions. The article presents doping as a global problem, not one limited to Kenya or Africa.

The mechanism is broader than catching athletes after a race. Anti-doping bodies set standards, collect samples and investigate possible violations. They also need to identify coaches, doctors, managers and suppliers who may enable prohibited drug use. Banka said athletes can be the weakest points in the ecosystem because powerful people may exploit them for profit.

Kenya’s challenge is applying these principles consistently. More than 140 Kenyan athletes have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit since 2017. Banka said the rules and standards are not the main problem; implementation is. A credible clean-sport system therefore requires independent agencies, reliable testing and action against wider doping networks.

The Athletics Integrity Unit has suspended more than 140 Kenyan athletes since 2017. Most were distance runners, the event group most closely associated with Kenya’s international athletics reputation. The figure shows that the country’s doping problem is persistent and large enough to attract serious scrutiny.

These suspensions are an enforcement result, not a count of every athlete who may have doped. They show that anti-doping authorities have identified many alleged or confirmed rule violations under their processes. The wider concern is whether the system can prevent doping and expose the people who help make it possible. Banka said athletes may be exploited by more powerful figures seeking profit.

The number matters especially because Kenya will host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Wada wants to see stronger implementation, an independent Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and government support. The suspensions make the championship a test of whether Kenya can turn commitments into dependable protection for clean athletes.

The 2029 championships raise the stakes because Kenya will host a major international athletics event while facing a long-running doping problem. Kenya became the first African country selected to host the World Athletics Championships. Its ability to protect fair competition will therefore affect confidence in both the event and its identity as a “home of champions.”

The pressure comes from evidence of continuing concern. More than 140 Kenyan athletes, predominantly distance runners, have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit since 2017. Banka said the core weakness is not a lack of rules or standards, but poor implementation. He also called for an independent Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya with sufficient government support.

Wada will monitor the situation before 2029. Banka welcomed the government’s zero-tolerance commitment but warned that promises must be matched by results. Kenya must strengthen testing, investigations and enforcement. A successful championship will require more than good event management; it will require visible confidence that clean athletes are protected.

The absence of a Wada-accredited laboratory in Africa makes reliable and timely analysis harder for Kenya. The laboratory in Bloemfontein, South Africa, lost accreditation after repeated failures to meet Wada’s International Standard for Laboratories. A laboratory must produce dependable results because an error can seriously affect an athlete’s career and reputation.

Kenya has shown political interest in creating its own facility, but Banka warned that accreditation would not arrive quickly. The process takes years, and a laboratory must prove that its methods, staff and quality controls are reliable. In the meantime, Kenya can strengthen sample collection, secure transport and chain-of-custody procedures, then send samples to Wada-accredited laboratories outside Africa. This alternative is established practice, though the article does not name specific laboratories.

The immediate priority is therefore the wider testing system, not simply a new building. Better planning, independent oversight and dependable analysis can support enforcement while Kenya develops longer-term laboratory capacity. Relying on a future facility alone would not solve weaknesses in implementation.

Doping is not always an athlete acting alone. Coaches, doctors and managers may influence training, treatment and competition decisions, while suppliers provide prohibited substances. Criminal networks can produce and distribute drugs, creating the market that makes doping possible. Pursuing only athletes can therefore leave the wider system intact.

Banka said intelligence indicated that performance-enhancing drugs were being produced in Kenya and described Africa as a significant market. He argued that athletes are often the “weakest points in the ecosystem.” People with money and power may exploit them as routes to profit. Investigators therefore need to follow supplies, payments, communications and professional relationships, as well as test competitors.

Wada can investigate sport, but Banka stressed that it is not law enforcement and cannot dismantle criminal networks by itself. Government agencies and police have tools to pursue suppliers and other enablers. Kenya’s response must connect anti-doping work with law enforcement, while protecting athletes and holding every responsible layer accountable.

Anti-doping systems work as a chain. International rules define prohibited substances and methods, while testing looks for possible violations. Independent national agencies apply those standards within a country. International bodies such as Wada monitor compliance, investigate sport and press for consistent implementation. Together, these layers help deter cheating and protect athletes who compete fairly.

The mechanism depends on each part supporting the others. Testing must collect and handle samples properly, laboratories must produce reliable results, and agencies must investigate cases independently. National authorities also need enough government support to operate effectively. Wider investigations should include coaches, doctors, managers and suppliers, not only athletes. Law enforcement is needed when criminal networks supply drugs.

Kenya’s situation shows why the links matter. Banka said the problem is implementation, not rules and standards. Wada is urging a stronger, independent Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and better testing arrangements. International monitoring can track progress, but Kenya must provide the practical enforcement that makes clean-sport promises credible before 2029.