World Athletics President Reveals How Kenya's 2029 Championships Could Boost the Fight Against Doping

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe believes that awarding Kenya the hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships will provide crucial momentum in the country’s ongoing campaign against doping.

Speaking during a high-profile visit to the capital on Oct. 14, Coe underscored that staging the prestigious biennial event, marking the very first time the global championships will be held on African soil, will sharpen international and domestic focus on cleaning up the nation's legendary athletics scene.

Nairobi secured the historic hosting bid on September 15, marking a monumental victory for East African sports diplomacy.

Kenya remains an undisputed global titan in middle- and long-distance track and road running. This status was further reinforced by her stellar performance at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, where Kenyan athletes secured a phenomenal second-place finish in the overall medal table right behind the United States, claiming seven gold medals and 11 total podium finishes.

However, this sporting success has been clouded by an unprecedented surge in anti-doping infractions over recent years, prompting intense scrutiny from international bodies and local administrators alike.

Since 2017, approximately 140 Kenyan athletes have been handed suspensions for various anti-doping violations, representing the highest tally of any nation in global athletics.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed yet another positive test on October 13, highlighting that the fight against banned substances remains an ongoing battle.

This integrity crisis has inevitably snared several high-profile elite competitors. Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich was banned for three years in October 2025 following a formal admission of doping.

Earlier that same year, Benard Kibet, who placed fifth in the 10,000 meters at the Paris Olympics, was suspended by the AIU, while 2021 New York City Marathon champion Albert Korir received a five-year ban in March for utilising banned performance-enhancing substances.

During his discussions with Kenya's political leadership, Coe confirmed that safeguarding the sport's reputation and rooting out doping is viewed as a "key national imperative."

The government has stepped up financial backing and institutional commitments to support anti-education programs, testing infrastructure, and regulatory enforcement.

While conceding that the complete eradication of doping across global sport is an uphill task, the two-time Olympic 1,500-meter champion maintained that the athletic landscape is in a far healthier, more transparent state today than it was when comprehensive global reforms began in 2015.

Addressing the media, Coe emphasised the transformative impact of the 2029 championships on the nation's anti-doping resolve: "The championships will help us in that quest," Coe said on the sidelines of a press briefing. "Is there more work to be done? Yes. Will these championships lend more focus to that? Absolutely."

Reassuring stakeholders regarding the rigorous oversight mechanisms in place, Coe pointed to the measurable progress recorded by independent monitors: "The AIU is very clear in their reports to me that progress is being made," Coe said, highlighting that the nation has travelled a "long way."

Reflecting on the evolution of global athletic governance over the past decade, Coe drew attention to the structural changes implemented under his leadership:

"One of the first things I did when I became president of World Athletics 11 years ago was the reform of the sport. And sitting at the epicentre of those reforms was, of course, the creation of the Athletics Integrity Unit," Coe added.

"The testing from the AIU’s point of view is more intense, it’s more extensive and it’s much more intelligence-led than it was under the old system."

As Nairobi gears up for the massive logistical undertaking of hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the convergence of government funding, strengthened AIU oversight, and intense global attention provides a unique window of opportunity.