Sports stakeholders back tougher action against doping promoters

Sports stakeholders back tougher action against doping promoters

Basketball coach Bintiah Kiarie welcomed the plan to hold coaches and other sports stakeholders accountable for promoting doping, saying some encourage athletes to use banned substances to achieve success unfairly.

Coaches and other sports stakeholders could face tougher action for promoting doping under proposed changes to Kenya’s anti-doping law.

Among the proposed changes welcomed by stakeholders is the expanded scope of the law to target people who encourage athletes to use banned substances for personal gain, often leaving the athletes to bear the consequences.

The proposals are contained in the Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which received support from coaches, athletes and sports administrators during public participation forums held in Kitale and Bungoma counties.

The National Assembly’s Sports and Culture Committee, chaired by Malava MP David Ndakwa, convened the forums. Participants said the proposed changes would promote fair competition, protect clean athletes and improve discipline and accountability in sports.

Basketball coach Bintiah Kiarie welcomed the plan to hold coaches and other sports stakeholders accountable for promoting doping, saying some encourage athletes to use banned substances to achieve success unfairly.

“Coaches have been the main culprits in promoting doping among the players they train so that they can achieve success unfairly at the expense of the athletes’ reputation. It is good that, if the law is enacted, they will not go scot-free,” she said.

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Football coach Tobias Onjila also supported the Bill but called for safeguards to protect athletes’ privacy, particularly under the proposed provisions allowing random and unannounced testing.

He urged authorities to step up awareness campaigns to educate athletes and other sportspeople about the proposed law and the need to avoid doping. He said sports tournaments could provide suitable platforms for these campaigns.

“The law needs to protect coaches and players from witch-hunts by rivals who may take advantage of it,” he added.

Former rugby player Mark Sawa called for decentralising the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), saying a wider presence across counties would help the agency reach athletes and carry out its duties more effectively.

“Players and sports administrators engaging in doping are in the counties, yet ADAK is stationed in Nairobi. The law should propose devolving the Agency to make it more efficient in carrying out its mandate,” he said.

In Bungoma, Omar Abdi backed the proposal to penalise coaches who promote doping, noting that athletes have often faced the consequences while those encouraging the practice escape punishment.

Eric Wafula called for clearer information on banned substances to prevent athletes from using prohibited products without knowing they are against the rules.

“The law needs to clearly identify or educate athletes on banned substances. Players might be unknowingly using them,” Wafula said.

Joseph Otieno urged the Committee to consider including food vendors among those who could face penalties under the proposed law, alleging that some were being used to supply prohibited substances to athletes.

MP Ndakwa thanked participants for their submissions, saying the Bill seeks to amend the Anti-Doping Act to strengthen Kenya’s legal framework for fighting doping in sports.

“The amendments seek to align Kenyan laws with the revised World Anti-Doping Code, which takes effect on 1st January next year,” he said.

The proposed amendments could affect athletes, coaches and athlete support personnel, sports organisations and federations, gyms and fitness centres, medical practitioners and other health professionals, sponsors and event organisers, ADAK and other relevant institutions.