Kenya to scale up testing, investigations to reduce doping cases

**The Kenyan government plans to scale up its investigation and testing capacity to help fight the rising number of doping cases amongst athletes in the country. 
**

Kenya's Sports Minister received Thursday (Apr. 20) a report on doping in the nation. 

It comes as the nation has set "a target of 3,445 tests per year covering 37,900 athletes, and athlete support personnel before the end of this financial year".

67 athletes have been banned in the last five years for drugs offences.

"The reason why maybe our cases have also been high, is that perhaps we test better, and more than anybody else right now globally. I believe Kenya is really up there, in-terms of the level, frequency, and capacity of testing for doping," minister Ababu Namwamba said.

Kenya vowed to fight doping after the crisis tarnished the East African track and field powerhouse threatening the nation of a ban by governing body World Athletics.

The athletics powerhouse has been in the top category on the World Anti Doping Agency watch list for 7 years