Athletics Kenya official Barnabas Korir has cautioned athletes of a possible ban similar to that that was issued to Russia in 2019 by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Kenya is currently listed under Category A on the World Anti-doping Agency's (WADA) list of nations on the watch for anti-doping violations.
Korir who was speaking to AFP warned that Kenya was at risk of an international ban, with 25 athletes hit with sanctions and 19 active cases pending in 2022 alone.
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"Right now, we're in the intensive care unit... At this rate, Kenya may not survive this year. The writing is on the wall: Kenya is facing a ban and its athletes will not be able to compete internationally," Korir told AFP.
Previously World Marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge spoke out against the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
According to Anti Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) chief executive, Sarah Shibutse some agents, coaches and managers bare some blame for the surge in doping cases.
Most of the Kenyan athletes who have either been suspended or banned for doping this year are involved in road and marathon running.
The two common drugs that have been found in the samples from the athletes are Norandrosterone and triamcinolone acetonide.
In October 2022, The AIU noted that 10 Kenyan athletes had tested positive in 2021-22 for triamcinolone acetonide.
This surge in the number of doping cases led to Athletics Kenya unveiling a raft of measures to contain the trend by organising educational workshops for the upcoming athletes.
Recently the new Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba revealed he would propose legislation whereby the prohibited substances would be categorized as hard drugs.
“Among things, we will be doing in terms of legislative and policy action is to elevate banned substances to the same calibre of hard drugs. If you are caught with these substances that some of these people are taking lightly, we will treat you as a trafficker... you cannot destroy our image as a country as we watch,” Namwamba stated in a past press address.
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