WADA Finally Makes Decision on Kenya as Athletics Future Hangs in Balance

Kenya have avoided immediate WADA sanctions after submitting corrective anti-doping plan, but athletics future remains uncertain pending further review.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Friday that Kenya has avoided immediate sanctions after submitting a corrective plan to address major shortcomings flagged in its anti-doping operations.

WADA had announced on September 11 that the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) was non-compliant with its code following a 2024 audit that identified “several critical requirements” left unresolved.

 Under international rules, ADAK was given 21 days — until October 2 — to either dispute the allegation or present a plan to fix the issues.

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Ahead of the deadline, ADAK provided a four-month action plan outlining steps to resolve the gaps. WADA acknowledged that “significant and demonstrable progress was made,” leading the agency to refer the case back for further review instead of enforcing penalties.

“During that time and ahead of the 2 October deadline, significant and demonstrable progress was made by ADAK, including the development of a corrective action plan outlining how it intends to address, within a four-month period, the outstanding critical requirements identified through the audit,” WADA said in a statement.

Kenya’s Global Reputation at Stake

If ADAK had been officially declared non-compliant, Kenya faced the loss of WADA funding and access to international programs. Its representatives would also have been barred from WADA boards and committees, while the country would have been ineligible to host regional, continental, or global championships. This risked derailing Kenya’s ambitions to bid for the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships.

Kenya’s President William Ruto weighed in on Thursday, promising sweeping reforms to safeguard the nation’s athletics reputation.

 “The country would do ‘whatever it takes’ to clean up the national anti-doping body (ADAK),” he said, emphasizing that avoiding sanctions was a top priority.

For now, Kenya has bought itself time. The matter has been referred back to WADA’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC), which will re-examine ADAK’s progress before a final decision is made. Until then, the sanctions “will not apply,” according to WADA.

Mounting Doping Crisis in Kenya

Since 2017, more than 140 Kenyan athletes — mostly long-distance runners — have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit, more than any other country. Among them are Olympic champions and world record holders, including 2016 Olympic marathon winner Jemima Sumgong and current marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich.

WADA’s concerns are compounded by recent cuts to ADAK’s funding. Despite the government investing millions in the past to combat doping, last year it slashed the agency’s budget by nearly half during nationwide protests over public spending. Critics argue the move undermined Kenya’s ability to effectively police its athletes.

WADA confirmed that three organizations remain officially non-compliant: Russia’s anti-doping agency, Sri Lanka’s anti-doping agency, and the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation. Kenya narrowly avoided joining that list — a development that could have delivered a severe blow to the nation’s athletics prestige.

The Montreal-based watchdog said it will continue to monitor ADAK closely and expects the corrective plan to be fully implemented within the agreed timeframe.

Failure to meet the outlined commitments could still trigger full sanctions in the future.