The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has provisionally suspended 33 athletes for violating anti-doping regulations. This laundry list of suspensions includes 26 track and field athletes, including current Amsterdam Marathon champion Joshua Belet. The remaining athletes come from basketball (3), rugby (3), and handball (1).
Belet, known for his dominant performance at the Amsterdam Marathon in October with an impressive time of 2:04:18—the event’s third-fastest record—has been suspended due to the detection of multiple banned substances.
These include Anabolic Androgenic Steroids, Testosterone, Adiol, Pregnanediol, Androsterone, and Etiocholanolone.
Other prominent athletes facing suspension are former Kenya Sevens fly-half Brian Wahinya, 2012 World Under-20 5000m champion David Bett, rising sprinters Duke Osoro and Joan Jeruto, and basketball players Alex Ramazani, Albert Onyango, and James Mwangi Maina.
This slew of suspensions comes as Kenyan athletes gear up for the Paris Olympic Games. They must complete at least three anti-doping tests by July 4, with the first deadline having passed on May 3.
The ADAK has significantly increased its testing measures after coming under scrutiny for having a high number of positive tests within their limited testing numbers, leading to this sharp increase in the number of suspensions and sanctions.
Since then, the agency has been rebuilding its clean sport initiatives and implementing strict testing protocols, particularly focusing on athletes ahead of major international competitions.
