Mvurya reaffirms commitment to clean sport as WADA removes Kenya from watchlist

In a statement, Mvurya said the decision marked a significant milestone in Kenya’s long and often difficult effort to safeguard the credibility of its athletics, following years of scrutiny over doping violations.

“The removal of Kenya from the compliance watchlist sends a clear and powerful message to the global sporting community,” Mvurya said. “Kenya remains firmly committed to clean sport, institutional accountability, and international cooperation in safeguarding the integrity of athletics and all sporting disciplines.”

Kenya had been placed under monitoring after concerns emerged from a 2024 audit of the country’s anti-doping systems conducted under the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories. The review assessed how national institutions were implementing global anti-doping rules.

According to Mvurya, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) responded by implementing a comprehensive corrective action plan aimed at aligning the country with the global anti-doping code.

The measures included strengthening governance structures, improving the management of test results, and enhancing investigative capacity to detect and deter doping before it damages the reputation of Kenyan sport.

For several years, Kenya has grappled with repeated doping violations that have threatened to undermine its global dominance in distance running. The cases raised concerns among international sports federations and event organisers about the strength of the country’s anti-doping framework.

Mvurya said the reforms demonstrate that Kenya can respond decisively when the integrity of its sporting institutions is questioned on the global stage.

However, the Cabinet Secretary cautioned that the achievement does not mark the end of the country’s responsibility to maintain strict anti-doping standards.

“While we celebrate this milestone, we remain fully aware that compliance with the global anti-doping framework is a continuous obligation,” he said.