The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) “will review all evidence and take the necessary action” following claims a number of Kenyan and British athletes used Erythropoietin (EPO) at a training camp in Iten.
The accusations that doping is rife at the centre in Iden were made in a new joint report by the Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD.
They also prompted UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) to send investigators to Kenya to explore the allegations and sparked fresh suggestions that the African nation should be banned from competing at next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
WADA director general Olivier Niggli says the organisation will be “reviewing the evidence that UKAD compiles and taking the necessary action to ensure the protection of clean sport”.
“I have full confidence that UKAD is addressing the matter with the necessary urgency and rigour,” he said.
The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, claimed to have successfully infiltrated one of their team posing as an athlete into the training centre which is a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude 2,400 metres above sea level.
The programme, broadcast on ARD on Saturday (July 9) shows images of boxes of the endurance boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO) on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin.
EPO is shown to be widely available in the chemists around the centre whilst two doctors are filmed offering to supply the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products.
One of the two doctors claims to have supplied “more than 50″ athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in “three months”.
The news has raised suspicions over the level of doping in Kenya – whose anti-doping agency remain non-compliant with WADA – ahead of Rio 2016.
ARD were also behind the documentary which led to the WADA Independent Commission reports, prompting the International Association of Athletics Federations to ban Russian track and field athletes from international competitions, including the Olympics.
“On the broader topic of Kenya, this article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya’s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country,” Niggli said.
“Once WADA has had the opportunity to review the evidence from UKAD’s investigation, we will be better positioned to determine what action is required to address the allegations.
“At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport.”
By Liam Morgan
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz