The Doping Crisis in Kenyan Athletics
No nation participating in the track and field events at the upcoming Paris Olympics has faced more rigorous drug testing than Kenya in recent years. This heightened scrutiny is not without reason. As a premier running powerhouse, Kenya has been actively working to recover from a significant doping crisis that was first identified nearly a decade ago.
Since 2015, approximately 300 Kenyan athletes have faced disciplinary actions for the use of prohibited substances. The severity of the situation became so alarming that track and field officials entertained the drastic idea of imposing a ban on Kenya, akin to the sanctions placed on Russia due to its extensive doping history. Such a ban would have rendered Kenya absent from the Paris Games—a significant loss for the sport.
Kenya’s rich history and its remarkable achievements in track and field, dating back to when Naftali Temu secured the nation’s first gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, have established the country as a cornerstone of this sporting discipline. Barnabas Korir, a member of the executive committee of Kenya’s athletics federation, emphasized the importance of Kenya’s presence in the sport, stating, “Losing Kenya would diminish the entire athletics landscape. Other countries would feel deprived of genuine competition, as Kenya boasts some of the finest athletes and unparalleled depth of talent.”
He further articulated the sentiment by saying, “This is precisely why Kenya was afforded the opportunity to rectify its issues and restore its reputation within the sport.”
Among those embroiled in the doping investigations was Lawrence Cherono, a prominent Kenyan athlete, who was found to have utilized banned substances, spotlighting the ongoing challenges facing the nation’s athletic community.
