NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 28 – The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has scheduled an anti-doping education session for all teams in camp for continuous awareness of the effects of the menace.
In a statement signed by the Olympics Kenya Committee president Paul Tergat, the body expressed its solidarity with the Ministry of Sports for its action to counter an international doping conspiracy ring.
Main suspect Elias Kiptum was charged at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Court on Monday morning and charged with 12 different counts which he denied all of them.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have been pursuing the suspect since September last year with information that they might be collaborating with individuals to develop fake doping stories.
According to detectives, the syndicate has been allegedly working with foreign journalists in fabricating information on doping in Athletics Kenya.
“By inviting the relevant Government agencies to carry out investigations and arrests of the suspects who engaged in the fraudulent activities to authenticate their allegations for the intended of tainting the image of the country. The Ministry did our nation proud through this preemptive action. The Government demonstrated proactive alertness to protect our clean athletes from unfounded and malicious attacks from all quarters,” the statement sent to newsrooms on Wednesday read.
“Further, we wish to state our zero tolerance to doping in all its form and presentation. This is why our Constitution recognizes the significance of clean sports by expressly stating its commitment to respect the provisions of the Olympic Charter and the World Anti-Doping Code.”
On Monday, the Ministry of Sports warned individuals who are out to tarnish Kenya’s name with fake doping allegations that they will be severely dealt with and the rule of law will take its course.
Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed says Sports is a core part of Kenya’s national identity and any threat to this can only be termed and treated as a threat to national security.
“The Ministry has noted with great concern that whenever Kenya is about to participate in a major International Sporting event, unscrupulous characters embark on a mission to disparage Kenya’s decades of well-deserved sporting repertoire and our leadership in the global anti-doping efforts,” a statement from the Ministry, signed by Amina stated.