Kenya must prove it is clean before hosting the world, anti-doping chief says
Nairobi will stage the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the first African city chosen to do so. The head of Wada says promises on doping now have to become results.
Nairobi — Kenya has to show it can be a clean home for athletics if it is to keep its credibility as host of the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency has told the BBC.
Witold Banka was speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Nairobi, where he met President William Ruto, government and sports officials, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, athletes and law enforcement representatives.
A first for Africa, under scrutiny
Kenya was awarded the championships in September, becoming the first African country chosen to host them. The decision has sharpened attention on a doping problem that has dogged the country for years: more than 140 Kenyan athletes, most of them distance runners, have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit since 2017.
Banka said he had received a clear commitment from the government to zero tolerance, but that Wada would be watching for action. His talks with the president also covered keeping the national anti-doping agency independent and properly funded. The difficulty in anti-doping, he said, lies in putting the rules into practice, not in the rules themselves.
No accredited laboratory on the continent
Africa currently has no Wada-accredited testing laboratory. The facility in Bloemfontein, South Africa, was suspended in March 2024 and lost its accreditation in May 2025.
Kenya has shown interest in building its own, Banka said, but he cautioned against expecting one to be accredited in time for 2029, because the process takes years. That leaves strengthening the testing system itself as the more urgent task.
This report is based on reporting by BBC Sport.
