Nairobi — Only 212 athletes have been invited to participate in this weekend's national trials for the World Championships, set for next month in Budapest, Hungary.
This decision may have left many other athletes disappointed as they were hoping for an opportunity to fight for a ticket to represent Kenya at the global championships.
However, Athletics Kenya (AK) federation have clarified that the invited athletes are those that have satisfied the stringent anti-doping requirements by World Athletics.
Athletics Kenya executive committee member Barnaba Korir said every athlete ought to undergone at least one out-of-competition anti-doping test to be allowed to compete at the national trials.
"Every athlete has to undergo at least three tests in the lead-up to the major competition, be it World Championships, Olympics and any event sanctioned by WA, of which at least one has to be out-of-competition. For us as AK to be able to select the team for the World Championships, we must choose those that are clean in that before the trials, you must have undergone a minimum of one out-of-competition test," Korir said.
He added: "Secondly, the athlete must also meet the qualifying time although that is not primary. The athlete still has until the end of this month to qualify for the World Championships."
Korir said the invite-only list is the product of a collaboration with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to counter the curse of doping that has stained the country's reputation as a cradle land of athletics.
"Outside of those conditions, the athletes cannot be allowed to compete at the trials and if they compete, they will not be selected for the World Championships. WA said that it will only accept those who have the minimum standards and secondly, the probable list sent to them by AK at the beginning of the year," he said.
Korir added: "Those ones (anti-doping tests requirements) it is not AK doing it. It is the work of ADAK and AIU. For us as a federation, we only provide the materials."
For the last six years, the country has been placed in Category A of countries that are most susceptible to doping offences.
Numerous athletes have been caught up in the doping menace, the latest being the 2021 Milan Marathon champion Titus Ekiru who is facing a 10-year ban for use of a prohibited substance and use of falsified documents.
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Korir said the stringent rules for the national trials are a consequence of rampant doping in the country.
"Kenyans should know that this is as a result of the doping cases that have been increasing in the country. Kenya is on a watchlist and we are required to follow these restrictions if we are to continue participating in international competitions...and if we don't, we will be kicked out," he explained.
Meanwhile, ADAK boss Sarah Shibutse says the agency has thus far this year conducted 390 tests - seven times more than last year.
"In the year 2022, I combined total of 55 tests were conducted for the National Championships and the trials for the World Championships. 2023 has seen the tests for the National Championships stand at 185 while tests for the World Championships stand at 205 providing a combined total of 390. That translates to 7 times more tests in 2023 than in 2022," Shibutse said.
She reiterated the agency's commitment to slaying the dragon called doping, despite its widespread tentacles in Kenyan sports.
"Kenya accounts for 40% of doping cases globally in athletics; this is a worrying statistic. However, this shall not dampen the resolve to promote clean sports as ADAK is steadily improving its efficiency and effectiveness in the war against doping in in Kenya," she said.
The national trials will run from Friday to Saturday at the Nyayo Stadium after which Team Kenya to the World Championships will be named - at the same venue.
