NAIROBI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is the third country after Russia and India with the largest pool of athletes banned for doping from international competition, according to latest report by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
In the last six months, Kenya has had seven elite runners locked out of competition for anomalies in their Athlete Biological Passport samples or failure to show up for testing.
The Athlete Biological Passport involves measuring and monitoring an athlete's blood variables over time and establishes an individual longitudinal profile which can indicate the use of prohibited substances or prohibited methods.
"The Athlete Biological Passport program has become an incredibly efficient tool for targeting athletes and uncovering anti-doping rule violations as proved through these cases. The IAAF is committed to increasing the Athlete Biological testing and these sanctions should make it clear to those athletes who are doping that the IAAF will be aggressively monitoring and targeting them," AIU said in a statement on Friday.
Since the Athlete Biological Passport program started in 2012, Kenya has had 41 athletes banned for doping or found to have been involved in doping-related cases with Russia leading at 87 while India is second with 42 cases.
Morocco is fourth with 30 cheats. The United States has 17 while Ethiopia has 12 cheating athletes.
Kenya's sports medicine doctor Andrew Suleh said there is need to enhance sensitization by Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and Athletics Kenya.
"Athletes biological passport ABP needs thorough awareness and education as 3 out 12 athletes banned so far is due inconsistencies in their ABP records," said Suleh.
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Belarus and Ukraine were named as problem countries and put under category A because their athletes are at high risk to engage in doping.
It means the team selected for the Olympics or the World Championships will be tested three times in a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) laboratory in the buildup before being allowed to compete.
Only Russia, with the leading number of cheating athletes in the world received the axe by WADA for state-aided doping.
According to the report, 24 male athletes have received the sanction by the AIU while the female category has produced 17 cheating athletes so far.
Most abused substance by Kenya's athletes include blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO) which stimulates the production of more red blood cells improving oxygen levels in the body, Norandrosterone with Prednisone, Salbutamol and Steroids.
