Two Kenyan athletes - Joyce Zakary and Koki Manunga - were suspended provisionally on Wednesday after they failed the drug test at the 2015 IAAF World Championships, which began four days ago in Beijing, China.
The two athletes were the first to fail drug test at the event. The International Association of Athletics Federations confirmed the news on Wednesday after Zakary and Manunga failed the test on 20 and 21 August before the championship began.
"The IAAF rules dictate that IAAF is only able to make a public disclosure once the provisional suspension is in place. These targeted tests were conducted by the IAAF at the athlete hotels during the pre-competition phase. The IAAF will not discuss the details of the cases as they progress through the results management process," an IAAF spokesperson told the media after the decision was taken.
IAAF insisted that they are trying hard to keep the sport clean and had been requesting for a testing facility in Kenya, which would be up to the World Anti-Doping Agency standards.
Despite carrying out several anti-doping campaigns in Kenya, the news will certainly raise a lot more questions regarding the efforts made to refrain the athletes from resorting to doping.
Former Kenyan athletes have expressed their concerns over continued allegations of doping against the current lot of Kenyan athletes. According to Guardian daily, 40 Kenyan athletes have been banned in the last two years.
German broadcaster ARD had reported earlier this week that some of the Kenyan officials were alarmed before the dope tests. They also said that a banned runner accused IAAF officials of demanding money to hide the results of the tests.
Zakary had set a new national record in the 400m heats. Post that, she pulled out of the semi-final event. "I didn't know I could run like this. I like the track, it's too fast," Zakary said after completing her run in 50.71sec in the heats on Sunday. When asked about Kenya's "world domination" aim in sprint events in future, Zakary said that she is hopeful that he nation will be at the top. "I think so. We are happy," Zakary had told reporters on Sunday.
On the other hand, the 400m hurdler, Manunga, was well below her standards when she finished sixth at the 400m heat at the 2015 IAAF World Championships. Prior to this, she had won a silver medal in the African championships.
