IAAF VP Kalkaba backs Kenya to beat ban

IAAF vice-president, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum has backed Kenya’s efforts to starve off an international competition ban while stating his commitment to help the country comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.

Speaking in Nairobi on Monday after meeting Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Dr. Hassan Wario and later addressing a news conference at Athletics Kenya (AK) Riadha House headquarters in the afternoon, the Confederations of Africa Athletics (CAA) president was also confident Kenya will host the 2017 IAAF World Youth Championships in July next year.

“I’m happy with all the efforts taken against doping in sports. Kenya is on the right track. It looks like African countries are being targeted because when Americans were caught doping (sprinter Marion Jones and cyclist Lance Armstrong) there was no threat of them being banned.

“First off all, I come to congratulate Kenya for the results that athletes from this country archived on behalf of the continent, last year in the world championship in Beijing. For the first time an African country emerged first before the western countries.

Addressing the doping issues, Kalkaba announced that Government confirmed to him it was fully committed to support and work with WADA and AK to stamp out doping.

He warded off the threat of Kenya being suspended from international competition since doping in the country was not systematic as Russia.

“I met the minister this morning; I think Africa has no laboratories to make doping substances to give to their athletes. Africa does not have the scientific know how to do that,” the continental athletics boss stressed.

Kalkaba was leading an inspection team from the IAAF for a two-day visit in Kenya to check on the progress the country was making on the anti-doping front as well as the global showpiece open to athletes between 16 and 17 years after recent negative reports.

He announced he was instrumental in negotiating for Kenya to get a two-month extension to comply with the WADA Code following the expiry of the initial deadline a fortnight ago that put the nation’s famed athletes at risk of being thrown out of the Rio 2016 Olympics Game.

Last week, his boss, IAAF President, Lord Sebastian Coe told British media he would not hesitate to kick Kenya’s track and field team out of the Olympics if the Independent Commission of WADA ruled it had not complied with the anti-doping requirements.

The Local Organising Committee for the proposed July 11 to 16 IAAF World Youth raised a budget of Ksh2b last week with the Government yet to release the initial Ksh200m requested to start the preparations for the showpiece planned for Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

He hinted on South Africa being a possible host for the 2023 IAAF World Championships in Athletics marking the first time the continent will host the global track and field showpiece.

“We have already signed the agreement for the 2018 African Cross Country which will take place at Lagos Nigeria and already granted one in 2020 to Algiers in Algeria,” he added.

Report by Paul Kimani