Kenya Warn Doping Cheats Belong In 'Dustbin'

Rita Jeptoo, a two-time Chicago and Boston winner, was caught using the blood-boosting drug EPO ©Jonathan Daniel (Getty/AFP)

Kenya sport has finally realized it has a tough fight on its hands facing up to doping amongst its athletes.

GRAPHITTI NEWS learned that Kenya have formed a new anti-doping agency to regulate the testing of athletes, in partnership with China and Norwegian agencies and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The crisis in Kenyan sports follows the disgrace of top marathoner Rita Jeptoo, a two-time Chicago and Boston winner, who was caught using the blood-boosting drug EPO. But before the scandal there had been lots of rumours and snippets from some former athletes of rot in Kenya athletics. 

Kenya's sports bosses have been accused of inaction on the doping issue, which has cast a shadow over the record-breaking and medal-winning achievements of its runners. They have blamed the current crisis on dishonest foreign agents and managers who are "corrupting" Kenyan runners.

Kenya's sports minster warned Friday that athletes caught doping would be consigned to the "dustbin of history", in a bid to repair the reputation of the east African country's fabled distance runners.

"There is no amount of advertisement that can bring glory to Kenya in the way that one gold medal does at the Olympics, or World championships. So are we going to give all of that away because of your greed?" said Minster of Sports Hassan Wario.

"We will never do that. So as a country, as a ministry, we are really agitated by the shame being brought on us by those few people that are doping, that are trying to cheat their way to the podium. You don't belong there, you belong in the dustbin of history."

Wario was speaking in Nairobi at a special anti-doping seminar organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) along with the country's governing body Athletics Kenya (AK).

Over 35 Kenya athletes have been suspended over the last two years for doping offences.
Based on AFP reports