Sportsmen and women have welcomed the move by Kenya Medical Research Institute to set up a sports science centre in Eldoret, saying it is the best step in the fight against doping in the country.
Led by 1992 Olympic Games 800m gold medalist William Tanui, the athletics stakeholders said the centre will be key in getting the country off the World Athletics Category 'A'.
“This anti-doping facility will be great for athletics in this region. When I was an active athlete, I ran without research and nutrition but this is a good move. As a retired athlete, I hope that scientific research in sports will boost performance,” said Tanui.
While launching the facility based at the Daima Towers, Cabinet Secretary of Health Susan Nakhumicha said: “As a country, sports, especially athletics, is facing the challenges of the increasing cases of doping. We have over 50 athletes who have been banned in barely two years. It is not good news at all."
Nakhumicha added that they will seek relevant certification/accreditation to conduct research on the causes of injuries among athletes.
“Even as we push for the accreditation of the KEMRI lab to carry out anti-doping tests, we have to accredit our coaches as we continue looking for solutions to the doping menace,” she said.
Kemri acting director general Elijah Songok said: “The laboratory in Eldoret marks the beginning of Kenya’s journey towards having an accredited anti-doping centre, which is aimed at reducing the turnaround in the testing of samples.”
Songok said the country currently sends samples abroad for testing, to countries like South Africa, Germany, Portugal and Poland.
KEMRI Board chairman Abdullahi Ali said he was optimistic that the institute would secure WADA accreditation to start anti-doping testing.
“The centre is designed to prioritise the comprehensive analysis of biological passports, factors associated with anti-doping testing, and sports injuries,” Ali said.