Kenya tries again with anti-doping law
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan lawmakers supported proposed changes to anti-doping legislation at a special sitting of parliament on Thursday in the hope that WADA will accept the law this time.
The lawmakers were brought off vacation to push through the changes. The legislation must also pass through the senate, which is expected to happen on Tuesday, and ultimately be signed into law by the president.
Kenya was forced to make the changes after the World Anti-Doping Agency rejected an initial law, and declared the East African nation non-compliant. That meant the suspension of Kenya's entire drug-testing program three months before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
A Kenyan delegation flew to Canada last week to meet with WADA officials and work out a roadmap for the country to become compliant with global anti-doping regulations.
Kenyan sports minister Hassan Wario said WADA had problems with a number of areas of the original legislation, including a clause calling for jail terms for athletes guilty of doping. WADA doesn't agree with jailing athletes for doping, preferring them to be sanctioned with bans through sports bodies.
The lawmakers debated and agreed on 24 changes to the legislation on Thursday.