Kenyan legislators pass anti-doping law to avoid Olympic ban

Kenyan lawmakers on Tuesday passed a new anti-doping law that will see the country avoid a possible ban from the Rio 2016 Olympics.

#Kenya parliament passes anti-doping bill https://t.co/h5XZcRlbm5 pic.twitter.com/JocNCjNu10

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The law seeks to create a national agency which will criminalise doping and those found guilty could be fined and face up to one year imprisonment.

The east African nation had already missed two deadlines set by the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA).

The new law now awaits presidential assent and authorities in Kenya are optimistic that the country will participate in the upcoming Olympics in August.

“The bill was passed today and will await presidential assent, which we expect to happen any time this week,” Martin Mutua, head of media in parliament, told Reuters.

WADA had set the final deadline for Kenya to pass the law by May 2 and is expected to meet on May 12 to discuss the case.

Kenyan athletes are famed for middle and long distance running excellence but recent reports of doping among some athletes have tainted this image.

Since 2011, more than 40 Kenyan athletes have failed drug tests and Kenya’s Athletics Federation chief Isaac Mwangi was suspended for six months at the end of February.

Reuters