Is depth of talent the issue behind Kenya’s doping problem?

If you’ve followed the sport of distance running the past five years, you’ve likely noticed a pattern of positive doping cases emerging from Kenya. Since 2000, athletes from the large East African nation have won more than 100 Abbott World Marathon Major titles, with performances from marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and the now-suspended Ruth Chepngetich putting Kenyan athletics firmly at the forefront. Still, below those few at the top, hundreds of aspiring, talented distance runners are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.

In an in-depth interview with the BBC, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) head Brett Clothier explained Kenya’s unique problem not faced by most other countries—the sheer abundance of talent sitting below the elite level. “The problem is, there is a huge pyramid of top-class athletes,” explains Clothier. “The difference in ability, in that pyramid, between the top and those below is not very much, because of the depth of their talent.”

Clothier adds that, in the past, they have been testing the top of that pyramid, i.e. major marathon winners, domestic champions and world championship athletes, but the athletes at the bottom are not subject to out-of-competition testing. “That pyramid is hundreds, or even thousands, of athletes, so even though we are controlling the ones at the top very well, because of the pressure from the athletes below, who aren’t being tested out of competition, the athletes at the top are taking risks, and there is pressure to stay on top.”

In addition to the pressure, the lure of financial incentives is a major driving force behind doping in Kenya. Road races offer lucrative prize money and appearance fees, attracting a large professional class of runners who potentially see doping as a means to secure a better living. Most Kenyan distance runners are born in poverty, and running is seen as their ticket out. According to a 2020 World Bank report, approximately 91 per cent of Kenya’s population was living below the global poverty line—that’s nearly 53 million people.

In a 2024 podcast interview, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said that winning the fight to achieve a drug-free sport is unlikely due to the inherent risks and rewards associated with doping. “If you’re a street kid, in some countries the risk versus reward is huge, and if you get caught and are returned to the street, then that’s nothing ventured, nothing gained. So it is a challenge.”

Clothier has echoed Coe, pointing out that these athletes do not have to go far to find performance-enhancing drugs. “When you have this illicit market, you have the opportunity for people to financially benefit from doping, and people who have the financial opportunity to sell performance-enhancing drugs,” said Clothier. “What we see is a market driven by money and demand.”

Rhonex Kipruto, 10K world record holder, suspended on doping allegations

One hundred and ninety-six Kenyan men have run under 2:07 for the marathon. To put it into perspective, only five U.S. men in history have accomplished the same thing. USADA, the country’s doping agency, is backed annually by major players, including the U.S. government and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), to help create a safe sporting environment and regularly test athletes.

Kenya’s challenge lies in the limited funding and resources within its anti-doping agency to test the larger pool of athletes beyond the top elites. However, in 2023, the AIU and Kenyan government responded by increasing funding for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) by $5,000,000/year until 2028. “Funding can be a real game-changer,” said Clothier. “No other national anti-doping agency is at that level of testing in our sport.” Testing at the Kenyan National Championships has increased nearly 400 per cent from where it was, which Clothier believes is a significant improvement.

Although running fans may feel discouraged by seeing the downfall of major marathon winners, world championships medallists and world record holders who are cheating, Clothier insists that each case represents progress in making athletics a cleaner sport. As the country continues its fight against doping, increased testing, bans, and commitment to fixing the problem are the only hope for real change.