NAIROBI, Kenya — The Africa Zone V Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) has renewed its commitment to clean sport through an intensive capacity-building initiative to strengthen anti-doping frameworks across the continent.
The move was unveiled at the Africa Zone V Anti-Doping Training Workshop, a two-day event jointly hosted by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in collaboration with SuperSport and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The workshop, which began on Wednesday in Nairobi, has brought together 21 Doping Control Officers (DCOs) from nine countries — Burundi, Eritrea, The Gambia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda — for advanced training on testing procedures, ethics, and international best practices.
Kenyan experts Rooney Sumba, Karen Wairimu, Mary Kairu, and Frederick Makale are leading the sessions, sharing practical insights on maintaining professionalism and integrity in doping control operations.
Former ADAK Chief Executive Officer and Kenya’s Zone V representative, Sarah Shibutse, hailed the workshop as a landmark effort to reinforce regional collaboration and elevate Africa’s capacity in anti-doping enforcement.
“One of the ways to ensure countries have strong anti-doping systems is by investing in training for doping control officers,” Shibutse said. “These officers are the ones athletes interact with most, so they must understand their role deeply and embody integrity at every stage.”
She added that convening officers from across the region fosters both technical growth and shared experience.
“The reason we have brought them together is to sync their experiences,” she said. “What you learn in training and what actually happens in the field can be very different. By exchanging first-hand experiences, they will be better equipped to implement effective doping control back home.”
The renewed drive comes amid a surge in doping violations across Africa, with high-profile athletes including Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich and Kibiwott Kandie, Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, and Morocco’s Anouar El Ghouz recently facing bans or provisional suspensions.
Shibutse emphasised that strong national anti-doping agencies are critical to sustaining fair competition. “A country’s NADO is only as strong as its neighbours,” she said. “In Africa Zone V, we want every member nation to have a credible, effective anti-doping agency.”
She commended Kenya, Egypt, and Ethiopia for setting strong precedents in doping control, noting that their progress offers a model for emerging agencies in the region.
Evans Achoki, Secretary of Administration in the State Department of Sports, reaffirmed Kenya’s government backing for ADAK, noting that anti-doping integrity remains central to protecting Kenya’s global athletics reputation.
“We are doing well in anti-doping,” Achoki said. “ADAK has the government’s full support to carry out its mandate and uphold clean sport across all disciplines.”
The workshop marks a significant stride in Africa’s continental commitment to the World Anti-Doping Code, reinforcing the continent’s resolve to promote transparency, fairness, and athlete integrity on the global sporting stage.
