According to several media reports, anywhere between 20 and 30 Kenyan Athletes are now facing bans after a joint investigation by World Athletics (WA) and Athletics Kenya (AK) in a massive age cheating scam.
The investigation, examined 60 cases dating back to 2016. Of these, 25 athletes were cleared, 20 were found guilty of age-cheating, while 15 cases remain under investigation.
The athletes have not yet been named publicly, as many are competing professionally or are in the NCAA on partial or full-ride scholarships.
“What makes this particularly worrying is that most of those found to have falsified their ages are now competing at the senior level, with some having secured scholarships to study in the United States,” Joseph Ilovi, Secretary of the AK Youth and Development Committee, revealed, underscoring the far-reaching consequences of the fraud.
The allegations are of widespread falsification of birth records to illegally compete in junior events (under age 20, U18, U16).
Investigators say some athletes already in their mid-20s have been competing as teenagers, taking medals, stealing scholarships, and gaining global exposure from genuine U20 runners. What is being pitched as “talent development” is now being described as systematic age cheating and fraud.
AK officials admit this is no longer about a few dishonest athletes. The probe has revealed a network involving rogue coaches, complicit parents, and corrupt civil registry officials, all working together to manufacture fake ages and fast-track careers.
Allegations are not new
For decades, within the running communities, there has been speculation about the level of performance and the appearance of the so-called junior athletes from Kenya looking older.
In August 2024, Athletics Illustrated reported that age-cheating was being investigated by World Athletics.
News began to circulate in early 2025 that more than two dozen Kenyan athletes may be in trouble for age cheating.
According to the publication Nation Kenya, World Athletics began investigating more than 30 Kenyan athletes, including Olympians, over allegations of falsifying their ages in cases dating back to 2016. If proven guilty of age falsification, charges would lead to suspension for Athletics Kenya and their athletes.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) led the probe in collaboration with Athletics Kenya. Age manipulation, also known as age cheating or age doping is a breach of the World Athletics Competition Rules and Integrity Code of Conduct.
The rule ensures that all athletes can compete on a level playing field.
Kenya also has a major issue with sexual harassment and match fixing in other sports.
There is a proposal by a taskforce to criminalize certain acts in sports. The Taskforce on Review of the Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework for Sports in Kenya propose that the “Sports Act” should be amended to define the two vices as criminal offences liable to prosecution.
More to come from this.
Kenyan chaos
In September 2025, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya the national anti-doping body that works closely with Athletics Kenya — was formally declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code by WADA after an audit flagged several major shortcomings in ADAK’s testing and results-management systems. Kenya was given a 21-day ultimatum to dispute the ruling or fix the problems before consequences would take effect.
Sanctions that would follow non-compliance include:
Loss of ADAK’s privileges within WADA structures (e.g., funding, committee representation). Kenya is becoming ineligible to host regional, continental or world championships. Kenyan officials being barred from international anti-doping bodies. Potential for Kenya’s flag not to be displayed at international events if non-compliance continues long-term.
Somewhere between 400 and 500 Kenyan athletes have been suspended for doping-related offences since 2016. Cases include testing positive for performance-enhancing substances from in-competition or out-of-competition blood or urine samples. Some manipulate the Whereabout Program, where an athlete must be available for testing. Three missed tests in 12 months equals a doping ban. There have been charges and convictions for manipuation, bribery and extortion. Some athletes have been suspended for Athlete Biological Passport anomalies. This means their blood has had unnatural fluctuations in its profile that match doping.
While some renowned coaches like Renato Canova has said that EPO and CERA, the blood booster does not work on Kenyan athletes, many have tested positive and have been suspended for EPO, including gold medallists and world record holders.
Some agents have been suspected of being complicit, for example Frederico Rosa with Rosa Associati. He has been investigated, however, has not officially been found guilty.
