The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has declared Kenya’s Anti-Doping Agency (ADAK) non-compliant with its code, warning that the East African nation will face sanctions next month unless urgent corrective measures are taken.
In a statement issued on the eve of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, WADA said ADAK had failed to address “several critical requirements” identified during an audit in May 2024. The agency has 21 days from receipt of the formal notice to dispute the ruling.
If unchallenged, the decision and its consequences will take effect from October 2, after the conclusion of the championships. Sanctions include the withdrawal of WADA privileges, loss of funding, exclusion from WADA programmes, and a ban on Kenyan officials serving on WADA boards or committees. Kenya would also be prohibited from hosting regional, continental, or global sporting events during the period of non-compliance.
The development comes as Kenya is preparing a bid to host the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships, having failed in its attempt to stage this year’s edition.
Doping has long plagued Kenyan athletics. In 2025 alone, 19 athletes have been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), while six others — including women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich — have been provisionally suspended.
Marathon star Sabastian Sawe, the world’s fastest man over the distance this year, described the situation as “a cancer for Kenyan athletes,” admitting in a statement that doping has become a widespread problem in the country.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji will miss the championships after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) granted an AIU request to provisionally suspend her.
The 23-year-old middle-distance runner, who won silver in the 1500m at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, had recently been cleared by Ethiopia’s Anti-Doping Authority of refusing to submit a doping sample. However, the AIU appealed the decision to CAS, which has now barred her from competition until the arbitration process is completed.
Welteji was scheduled to compete in the women’s 1500m heats on Saturday at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
