NAIVASHA, Kenya, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) said Friday it has conducted record testing on Kenyan athletes in the year leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The east African nation remains in the Category A list of countries with the highest risk of doping, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Speaking to media in Naivasha, northwest of the capital Nairobi, ADAK's head of research Martin Kisa revealed that 4,135 athletes have been tested for doping in the past year.
This is an annual record for the local anti-doping body that was formed in 2016 to help stem the runaway doping crisis in the sport, which has seen Kenya placed as a Category A nation since 2017.
"The selected team we are going to send to Paris will be a clean team. Besides testing, we have conducted education for all athletes and their entourage. Testing is still continuing. The IOC will also conduct testing in competition. We are determined to uphold the image of the country," Kisa added.
As a Category A nation, all Kenyan athletes who were cleared to compete at the forthcoming Olympics were required to undergo three mandatory out of competition tests in the year leading up to the Games.
"Besides all the mandatory tests, they have also gone through more tests in competition and out of competition," Kisa added.
According to the official, they are targeting to increase the tests on athletes to 6,000 per year.
Besides athletics, Kenya has qualified competitors in women's volleyball, men's rugby sevens, judo and women's fencing.
"The other disciplines have to undergo two mandatory out of competition tests according to the IOC. But this does not mean we are not testing them vigorously," Kisa explained. ■
