FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
26th April 2021
Attn: SPORTS EDITORSPRESS RELEASE
Our attention is drawn to an email sent by an individual
known as Christian Rohde to the Anti-Doping Agency ofKenya (ADAK) claiming to work for a German Television
Network known as ZDF. In the email, Mr. Rohde allegedthat he received information that Kenya, through ADAK andAthletics Kenya [AK] are engaged in a systematic coverupof doping cases among Kenyan athletes.
Upon receipt of this email, and owing to the seriousness ofthe allegations, ADAK alerted the office of the Director ofCriminal Investigations (DCI) who swiftly took over thematter for investigation.
The ‘alleged informant’ was arrested and found inpossession of several copies of forged letters supposedly

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

1

sent from ADAK and Athletics Kenya (AK). He was also
found in possession of three laptops and several mobilephones which have been confiscated for analysis. This
individual was charged with twelve counts of forgery andarraigned before a Court of Law this morning for pleataking. The Criminal Justice System is now seized of thismatter and we will therefore not further delve into thedetails.
Nevertheless, we wish to state that the Ministry has notedwith great concern that whenever Kenya is about toparticipate in a major International Sporting event,unscrupulous characters embark on a mission to disparage
Kenya’s decades of well-deserved sporting repertoire andour leadership in the global anti-doping efforts. Kenya hasserved on the WADA Foundation Board and collaborated
with WADA to align our laws to international standards,
anti-doping education, comparative anti-doping efficiency
systems, athlete education, technological advancement forresults management and many other core areas necessary
to build an effective anti-doping ecosystem. Kenya was thesecond country in Africa to enact the anti-doping law.

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

2

Kenya has also earned global recognition as a competitive
athletic country with undisputed command in long-distancerunning with steady expansion into field disciplines such as
Rugby, Volleyball and Basketball. Similarly, Kenya has
hosted some of the most successful international events
including the World Athletics Cross Country Championshipin 2007, World Athletics Under-18 Championship, 2017, theWorld Athletics Continental Tour, 2020 and the African Rally
Championship-Equator Rally Kenya, 2021.
Kenya is set to host the World Athletics Under-20
Championship, Nairobi 2021, the World Athletics
Continental Tour 2021 and FIA/WRC Safari Rally Kenya. We
have also submitted an active bid to host the WorldAthletics Championship, 2025.
A lot of resources have been devoted to sports and tobuilding solid sports governance processes with theATHLETE at the CENTRE of our determination to excel.
More importantly, Kenya has welcomed the world towitness and interact with athletes in the form of sports
exchange programs, sports tourism, education andPRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

3

professional sports management. We have always been
open, friendly, warm and welcoming to all our visitors
including journalists.
It is unfortunate that this generosity and openness has inrare, but extremely damaging circumstances such as thepresent case, been abused to the detriment of our national
image and the impeccable global reputation of our hardworking athletes. It is particularly disheartening to note thatwhile our local journalists accord international athletescompeting in our country and externally full support andrespect, certain international journalists have made this‘doping’ crusade a personal mission and progressedjournalistic material in the form of documentaries, digitaland print press based on false information aimed at
destabilizing the fabric of our national sporting heritage.
Thankfully, this crusade is limited to a small number ofjournalists from Germany and more recently Denmark andNorway.
Sports is a core part of Kenya’s national identity and any
threat to our patriotic pride as a nation can only be termed
and treated as a threat to our national security.

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

4

Regrettably, these isolated foreign journalists collude witha few unpatriotic and corrupt Kenyans to compile this false
information on their behalf in an attempt to false
authenticity. We have carefully evaluated their patterns andnote that these falsehoods are peddled against Kenya’s
most celebrated and admired athletes. We can only
presume that this strategy is meant to demoralize ourathletes and distract them from focused training.
We can trace this trend to the eve of the 2012 LondonSummer Olympic Games, 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the2017 IAAF World Championships in London, 2019 World
Athletic Championships in Doha and most recently, anongoing attempt to tarnish our respected national standing
as we prepare teams for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic andParalympic Games.
These allegations are baseless, careless, reckless andattack the credibility of an entire country and our hardworking, globally renowned athletes who have worked
tirelessly to earn their place on the international hall offame.

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

5

It is common knowledge that any athlete found culpable ofdoping globally in any country is sanctioned in accordancewith international anti-doping regulations. This has been
the case since doping was recognized as a crime at thebeginning of the previous century.
The athlete is the center of Government policy on sports.
Accordingly, the Ministry has put in place a myriad of
measures to protect and support the athlete as well as
secure the integrity of sports in Kenya. The measures
include the following:
1.

The National Assembly passed the Anti-Doping
Agency of Kenya Act. No. 5 of 2016 to provide forthe implementation of the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) Convention Against Doping in Sport; theregulation of sporting activities free from the use ofprohibited substances and methods in order toprotect the health of athletes; the establishment andmanagement of the Anti-Doping Agency and to

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

6

provide for the Agency's powers, functions andmanagement and for connected purposes.
2.

Consequently, ADAK was established in 2016 toundertake all Anti-Doping Activities in the country.

3.

In 2018, ADAK established the Intelligence andInvestigation Unit in accordance with theinternational standard for testing and investigations;4.

In 2020, ADAK established an e-learning portal toreach out to all our stakeholders. This is the only oneof its kind in Africa to date;

5.

Over 80,000 athletes have been educated on AntiDoping matters and more than 4,200 samples
collected from athletes for analysis at WADA
accredited laboratories in Doha, Qatar and in
Bloemfontein, South Africa.

6.

To align our laws to the new World Anti-doping Code(2021) and newly introduced international

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

7

standards, H.E the President signed into law theAnti-doping Amendment Act (2020);

7.

Elaborate, water-tight systems have been put inplace to protect the integrity of the Anti-Doping
program which is managed in strict adherence to theWorld Anti-Doping Code, its related InternationalStandards, the Anti-Doping Act and the Anti-Doping
Rules. Those relating to testing are described below:a) Any collected samples are transported to a
WADA accredited Laboratory for analysis.
The Lab does not receive names of athletes.
The only information accompanying thesample is a sample code.
b) Upon analysis, the findings are posted on aweb-based portal known as the Anti-Doping
Administration and Management System[ADAMS]. ADAK and the respectiveInternational Federation(s), have a “READONLY” access to this system.

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

8c) Once the results are posted in ADAMS, ADAK
takes over and prosecutes any positive caseswith regular updates to WADA on theprogress of each case.
d) This system cannot be tampered with oraltered by any person or entity.
Kenya is committed to the fight against doping and has put
in place all necessary structures and systems to support therealization of this commitment.
We remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure that theagenda of anti-doping and clean sport is achieved in ourcountry and across the world. We further pledge tocontinue in our determination to bring to book all those
involved in tarnishing the good name of our athletes andcountry.

PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 2021

9

We thank the Media for their continued support in this noble
agenda and invite you to engage the Ministry on any
information requiring verification.
Thank you.

Issued at the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage
Headquarters on 26th April, 2021.
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAVCABINET SECRETARY-ENDS-PRESS RELEASE -26TH APRIL, 202110