A suspect is set to be arraigned in court on Wednesday after she was nabbed with an assortment of prohibited doping substances without a valid permit or license.
In a statement on Monday evening, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) CEO Sarah Shibutse said the suspect attempted to sneak the medicaments into the country via the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday last week but was nabbed by hawk-eyed Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) sleuths.
“The suspect attempted to fool officers stationed at the airport scanning area. Unbeknownst to the suspect, the well versed and trained DCI officers on matters anti-doping were keenly waiting to pounce on her and the consignment of doping medicament,” the statement reveals.
Shibutse added: “The seized medicament contained 399 boxes of Levosalbutamol, 250 boxes of Carvedilol and 150 boxes of Triamcinolone Acetonide injections. Kenyan athletes have recently been sanctioned and flagged after samples they provided were found to contain triamcinolone acetonide. Triamcinolone acetonide is a prohibited substance under the 2023 WADA Prohibited List under the category S9: Glucocorticoids. The substance is prohibited in-competition when administered via certain routes.”
The fight against the vice has gone up a notch in the past one year as the country seeks to slay a monster that has stained its reputation as a powerhouse in athletics.
In 2017, Kenya was placed in Category A of countries where doping is rampant, which ultimately made it beholden to certain stringent rules to enable its athletes participate in World Athletics-sanctioned events.
The recent national trials for the World Championships, for instance, was an invite-only for athletes who have undergone at least one out-of-competition anti-doping test.
ADAK has been working with other bodies, including security apparatus, WA and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to rid the sport of fraudulent athletes even as the war extends to unscrupulous coaches, agents, suppliers and pharmacies that propagate the crime.
Shibutse once again expressed confidence that the heightened onslaught on doping will be fruitful.
“ADAK remains undeterred in the fight against doping in sport and continues to gather intelligence and conduct investigations on suspected doping activities around the country. The Agency reiterates its commitment in discharging its mandate. Enforcement of the World Anti-Doping Code and ADAK Anti-Doping Rules shall continue, and the doping menace shall be defeated,” she said.
