Kenya approves formation of Anti-Doping Agency

The Cabinet has approved the immediate establishment of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya.

During a meeting held on Friday in State House, Nairobi, the Cabinet said the objective of the Kenya Anti-Doping Agency (KADA) will be to carry out doping control in the country, promote the integrity of drug-free sports in the country, oversee the prosecution of Anti-Doping cases, promote values, information and preventive work aimed at fighting doping as well as develop and execute Anti-Doping rules and regulations.

The agency will advise the Government on all relevant matters pertaining to Anti-doping, co-operate with the Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and any other anti-doping organization in carrying out anti-doping activities in Kenya and execute the enforcement of the Kenya Anti-Doping Rules and Regulations as shall be approved by WADA from time to time.

It will also carry out doping control, oversee the prosecution of anti-doping related offences before the Sports Tribunal or any other judicial body exercising jurisdiction in such matters, contribute to research related to the object of its activities, promote values, information and preventive work aimed at fighting doping and contribute in the fight against doping outside organized sport.

The agency will also liaise with other government agencies in eradicating the use and abuse of performance enhancing substances amongst sports persons and promote the integrity of a drug-free sport.

The establishment of the Agency is in line with the resolutions reached at the 33^rd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO on eliminating doping in sports, where State parties committed themselves to the principles of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC).

The conference agreed to adopt appropriate measures such as legislation, regulation, policies, including administrative practices as a way of achieving the objectives of the convention.

During the Conference, Kenya was nominated to host the Africa Zone V Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO).

The main objectives of establishing RADO was to help the nine member countries namely Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to develop anti-doping programmes that are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC).