This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
Published on September 23, 2019, allegations of doping have rocked Team Kenya ahead of the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
According to a report by ZDF, a German media publication, two athletes in the team recently injected themselves with the banned Erythropoietin (EPO) substance.
As the world athletics governing body has banned EPO for the past two decades, the substance increases red blood cells and oxygen levels, giving athletes who use it an unfair advantage over their opponents.
IAAF has vowed to investigate the claims, while Athletics Kenya (AK) has distanced itself from the allegations, warning that any athlete found guilty of using banned substances will face a lifetime ban.
AK's Nairobi branch chairman, Barnabas Korir, emphasized the importance of following international regulations, stating, 'We make sure our national team follows the rules. With this team (to Doha), we spoke more intensively, held seminars with them and explained the international regulations. If an athlete dopes, he will be thrown out and will never wear national team colours again.'
However, the report by ZDF suggests that there could be corrupt individuals within AK and the Anti-Doping body in Kenya who are helping athletes break the law.
Kenya finished second behind the USA in the last edition of the World Athletics Championship held in London.
