All set for anti-doping launch as AK ups campaign against vice

The stage is set for the launch of  the Anti-Doping Day in Kapsabet, Nandi County and Nyahururu in Lakipia County on Thursday, as Athletics Kenya ups the campaign against the vice .

Speaking to Citizen Digital at the AK headquarters in Nairobi, the association president, Lieutenant General Retired Jackson Tuwei said that the programme could have simultaneously been launched across all counties but has been cut down to two venues due to the political climate in the country.

“We had said earlier that we were going to hold the anti-doping awareness campaigns in all the 47 counties but we have adjusted that programme a little bit so that we do not interfere with the on goings in the country. Instead, we shall do a launch in Nyahururu and Kapsabet.

“In Nyahururu we are targeting the people in Central Province, South Rift and maybe up to Eastern province while in Kapsabet we will be targeting people in Central Rift, part of North and South Rift and the western part of the country,” Tuwei said.

Tuwei added that the programme is meant to educate everybody, including non-athletes on doping issues and the dangers of the practice.

This, he says, is informed by the fact a majority of Kenyans do not know what doping is all about.

“Quite a number of athletes do understand what doping is; because we have taken them through seminars and other educational programmes. We realized that the athlete support personnel, that is; the coaches, officials, medical personnel and many others may not have a clue on doping.

“It’s important that they understand doping and where they could be involved without knowing.  This (doping) is a very wide subject and it’s not just about the athlete.  We do not want to see someone getting into trouble assuming that they may know,” the athletics boss, said.

Tuwei has at the same time called on leaders and stakeholders to turn up in large numbers to be part of the programme.

While Tuwei will be in Nyahururu to oversee the launch, his deputy, Paul Mutwii, will be in Kapsabet to lead another team.

Last February, Kenya was placed under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) watch list after failing to put up a satisfactory National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO).

However after the intrigues, the government set up the Kenya Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK), meeting the stringent requirements of WADA’s.

This led to Kenya being declared compliant leading to her name being expunged from the WADA watch list, a status Tuwei wants to keep by promoting free and fair competition.