Inside the Games

International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe has warned that Kenya could be banned from competing at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro should they be declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.

WADA have expressed concerns about the country following the publication of its first Independent Commission Report in November, which confirmed allegations of state-supported doping within Russian athletics, leading to the country being banned by the IAAF.

Richard Pound, the Commission chairman, had claimed it is “pretty clear” there was a problem with performance-enhancing drugs in Kenya.

Although they have not yet been sanctioned, the WADA Foundation Board ordered Kenya to fully explain their doping controls in November, with “unsatisfactory” answers expected to result in sanctions.

This prompted the Kenyan Government to approve the immediate establishment of an anti-doping agency in the country.

Last week, WADA confirmed progress had been made with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) but stated more work had to be done, including the finalisation of Kenya’s legislation and anti-doping rules, with the matter being dealt with by their “independent compliance process”.

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