NAIROBI, February 22 – International Athletics Association Federation (IAAF) Vice President, Kalkaba Malboum has asked the World Anti Doping Agency to stop threatening Kenya with bans.
Malboum who was speaking on Monday after inspecting Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, the venue for 2017 World Youth Championships, said World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) was wrong in considering slapping Kenya with an international ban over doping issues but should instead deal with individuals.
“Kenya as a country should not carry the cross of a few individuals involved in doping by being slapped with sanctions but should go for the culprits. It has happened before in the case of USA when Marion Jones was found guilty of using banned substances, they didn’t ban the United States from any competition. They took sanctions against the athlete.”
“If there are some athletes in Kenya who have failed drug tests they should be sanctioned. I think there is no need for WADA to ban all the athletes including those who are clean. I consider it as a wrong view and I’m going to explain that to my colleagues,” The Confederation of African Athletics President declared.
Malboum said just like Kenya, there were other countries on WADA’s radar which have also been given conditions to comply but they are not being magnified like case of the East African country, accusing that the world anti doping body of practicing double standards.
“Russia was banned after its government and the athletics federation were found culpable of abetting the doping menace but in Kenya the situation is different because there have been no allegations of Athletics Kenya and the Kenyan Government being involved in promoting the malpractice a situation that does not warrant threats not even a ban.”
“We must support the effort that has already been made by the Kenyan government to help them reach our expectations. After meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Arts and Culture Dr Hassan Wario, I realised that the government is fully committed… even they want to send an anti-doping bill to Parliament,” said Malboum.
The IAAF top official said the continental body is working with Kenya to ensure that athletes participate honestly without using performance enhancing drugs.
Malboum who was on a fact finding mission on the progress of preparations for the 2017 World Youth Athletics Championships to be hosted in the Kenyan capital said he was satisfied by the goings on so far and assured the world that Kenya was ready to host the event next year.
“I inspected the championships venue (Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani) and had discussions with the Local Organising (LOC) together with Sports Minister who assured me that the government has set aside funds for the event,” stated Malboum.
Kenya has been given another two-month grace period to adopt the WADA code, after missing a February 14 deadline.
He accused Europe of undermining Africa’s potential of hosting international events by giving the continent bad publicity.