The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has warned that not all sports supplements are safe in sports as they may result in anti-doping rule violation.
Addressing athletes during the anti-doping seminar in Eldoret yesterday, ADAK’s Director of Education and Research Agnes Wanjiru Mandu said that some supplements are not good for athletes and research has proved that beyond reasonable doubts.
Mandu warned that not all food supplements are clean.
“sometimes our athletes take food supplements which are contaminated not because they want to dope but because they think all food supplements are clean. And in the process they find food supplements are laced with prohibited substances,” said Mandu.
She said that she wants to tell athletes that not all food supplements are always clean according to International Olympics Committee (IOC) research.
“The IOC did a research on food supplements and found out that one out of four packets is contaminated so it is very easy for them to get contaminated food supplements,” she expressed.
At the same time, she warned athletes who have been sanctioned on whereabouts, saying it is sad to find Kenyan athletes sanctioned on such issues.
“whereabouts is not like an athlete has doped but it is an issue of feeding their data and it is very sad for our athletes because that is negligence,” she said.
ADAK has been collaborating with Athletics Kenya for the sake of Kenyan athletes.
“We want to make sure that our athletes are clean to avoid doping issues. Some are tested and found to have doped without their knowledge. The rules say before a major championship; they must have been educated at least three times. Before an athlete is tested, he must be educated. After testing positive, the first question will be if they have had any education that weakens the case but when you educate them, like today and you miss because AK has given out the list, we must have three sessions for probables for World championships. For those who did not show up, their case will be weakened when they are prosecuted,” she said.