Kenyan athletes who will compete at this year’s 33rd Olympic Games in Paris, France, must undergo three out-of-competition tests.
According to a statement from the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) through Athletics Kenya, all Kenyan athletes who will participate in the summer games must take the first competition test before July 26th, the official start date for the Olympic games.
This implies that all Kenyan athletes have until the 3rd of this month to undergo the first out-of-competition test and until July 4th to submit all three out-of-competition tests, failure to which they will be barred from the Olympic games.
“As per Rule 15 requirements for Category A federations, all athletes hoping and planning to compete at the Olympics will be required to undergo at least three out-of-competition tests. Furthermore, in accordance with Rule 15.5.1(c), all athletes will be required to undertake their first out-of-competition testing at least 12 weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympics (July 26).” Read the statement.
The three no-notice out-of-competition tests will be conducted by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and recorded at the Anti-Doping Administration management system (ADAMS).
“This means that the deadline for the first out-of-competition test is May 3, 2024, a failure to which the affected athletes will not be eligible to compete at the Olympics. The deadline for undertaking all three out-of-competition tests is July 4, 2024, after which those who do not comply with this will not be allowed to participate in the Olympics.
The three no-notice out-of-competition tests will be conducted under the authority of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and recorded in the Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS). AK advises all athletes to familiarize themselves with these additional requirements and subsequently adhere to them to avoid last-minute disappointments. The federation will strictly apply this rule and will not include any athlete who does not comply with it in the team to represent the country at the Olympics, “concluded the AK statement.
The Announced new stringent measures applies to all countries in category A of the World Anti-Doping Agency and the AIU list of countries with rampant doping cases.
Athletics Kenya, through its statement to the media, has reiterated that it will lock out all athletes who fail to comply with the new regulations set by the AIU.
