Will Kenya survive tough Wada sanctions as compliance deadline ended last night?

Kenya was on Thursday holding onto hope as uncertainty hung over the country’s compliance with the World Anti-Doping (Wada) rules.

Wada had on September 11 given the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) 21 days to comply with 35 allegations of non-compliance, failure to which the country would face serious sanctions beginning today.

The announcement by Wada was made public on September 12, just a day to the 2025 Tokyo World Championships.

In the all-stakeholder communication, Wada stated that Adak was allegedly non-compliant with immediate effect.

According to Wada, if Adak would not have met demands to correct all the non-conformities by midnight yesterday, it would be declared non-compliant and would likely be slapped with a suspension.

It emerged yesterday, just hours to the deadline that Kenya had responded to 30 non-compliance allegations out of 35, leaving an anxious nation crossing its fingers for a favourable decision by Wada.

“Consequently, the signatory consequences listed in the Executive Committee decision will apply as of October 3, 2025 if Adak does not correct its non-conformities in full, or dispute Wada’s allegation of non-compliance, and/or the Signatory consequences, and/or the reinstatement conditions by midnight on 2 October 2025,” Wada said in a statement.

Wada has already outlined the consequences that Kenya faces if it will not be compliant by today.

Until reinstated, Kenya will lose rights to host future regional and global championships.

“The Republic of Kenya shall not be awarded the right to host any future editions of regional, continental or World Championships, as well as other international events, until Adak is reinstated,” Wada warned.

Kenya formally submitted its bid to host the 2029 World Championships at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani during the Tokyo World Championships, with the nation already announcing pre-qualification procedures. This will also depend on the decision by Wada.

If it does not succeed in challenging the allegations, the Kenyan anti-doping body will lose its Wada privileges including withdrawal of funding from the world body, holding office in the international agency, hosting events and taking part in observer programmes among others.

But worse still, Kenya is staring at tougher sanctions including joining the list of non-compliant nations such as Russia and Sri Lanka if it fails to meet reinstatement conditions within 12 months from today.

“The flag of the Republic of Kenya will not be displayed at or in association with regional, continental or world championships, as well as other events organised by Major Event Organizations, including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, until Adak is reinstated,” Wada said in its communication.

Yesterday, President William Ruto assured a nation that is clinging on hope that the Kenyan government was working with Wada to have Adak reinstated and to continue running clean sport.

Ruto, in what appeared as acknowledgement of Adak’s flaws in adhering to compliance rules, directed Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya to reorganise the national anti-doping body to ensure that it discharges its mandate professionally.

“We will do whatever it takes (to comply with the non-conformity allegations) and my instruction is that we reorganize Adak properly, inject professionalism and ensure that you work with the best practices and international standards so that we continue sports with integrity,” Ruto said during the reception of Team Kenya to the World Championships at State House, Nairobi.

Ruto lauded the Ministry of Sports for working with Wada in addressing the non-compliance issues and ordered immediate end to the doping menace.

“Kenya is a great sporting nation and we don’t want our sportsmen and women to be adulterated in any manner and for whatever reason by anybody,” the President said.

CS Mvurya said Kenya has had several discussions with Wada over the non-compliance allegations in recent days.

“I want to assure you that 30 (non-compliance) issues have been resolved and we await their decision and direction,” Mvurya said.

By yesterday, however, the particulars of the 35 issues that could place Kenya on the wrong side of history had not been specified.

Adak has been struggling with financial woes which saw its annual budget drastically cut, crippling key operations including the battle for clean sport in Kenya.

The Ministry of Sports reinstated the budget in June, boosting it from a paltry Sh20 million to Sh185 million in a move that acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peninah Wahome said would revive enhanced anti-doping testing, education and intelligence.

In a statement released on September 26 following the sentencing of Indian teenager Aman Malik to three years imprisonment, Wahome – the acting Adak CEO assured stakeholders including athletes, sports federations and partners that it will work closely with Wada, Athletics Integrity Unit, investigative agencies and the judiciary to ensure full compliance with the global code.

“The conviction and sentencing of Malik demonstrates that Kenya’s legal and regulatory frameworks are operational and effective in protecting clean athletes,” Wahome said in a statement.