Kenya risks ban from August Olympics over doping

IAAF President Lord Sebastian Coe on Wednesday night stood ready to ban Kenya’s entire track and field team from the Olympics if the country’s athletics federation joined Russia’s in being declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

It faces an anxious wait to learn whether it will be declared non-compliant with the agency’s code, something that could see its athletes banned from competing on the world stage.

Coe confirmed he would not hesitate to seek the ultimate sanction for any nation guilty of attempting to cover up drug-taking following a stream of shocking allegations about Kenyan athletics and its officials.

The chief executive of Athletics Kenya this week asked to be relieved of his duties for three weeks pending an investigation into allegations he sought bribes to reduce the doping bans of two athletes who failed drugs tests.

Wada and the International Association of Athletics Federation’s ethics committee have contacted AK about the claims against Isaac Mwangi, who denies any wrongdoing. He is the fourth Kenyan official to be probed over corruption allegations following those made against former AK president Isaiah Kiplagat and two other senior figures, who also deny any wrongdoing.

Kenya, who finished top of the medal table at last year’s World Championships, last week missed a deadline to prove to Wada it was doing enough to combat doping.

Source: The Telegraph