President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Monday that Kenya will beat a May deadline to comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency code "and avoid sanctions that could include a ban from the Rio Olympics," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS.
Speaking at a breakfast for Paris marathon and world half-marathon athletes at the State House, Kenyatta said that "the government had made the bill a priority and he was giving it close attention." He said,
"By next week (at the) latest, the Anti-Doping Bill will have been passed by Parliament and I will have signed it into law so that there will be no excuse to deny our team from participation in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. We know there are people who are looking for excuses to ensure that Kenya does not participate in the Olympics. We will not give them that excuse."
Kenya "was given a one-month extension on April 7 to comply with the WADA code or face sanctions that could include a ban from this year's Rio Games." Kenyatta said that Kenyan athletes had brought pride and int'l recognition to the country and "outlined the financial rewards on offer to Olympic medal winners."
The president said that Gold Medalists would get 1M Kenyan shillings ($9,900), Silver Medalists 500,000 ($4,950) and Bronze 250,000 ($2,470) (REUTERS, 4/11). The AFP reported the proposed Anti-Doping Bill establishes the anti-doping agency and proposes a $1,000 fine, "and/or a year in jail for athletes caught doping." Those caught smuggling or administering banned substances face a $30,000 fine "or a three-year jail term."
Many in Kenya fear doping "is rife among their top-class runners, who have been the source of enormous national pride" (AFP, 4/11).
