Kenya have escaped a blanket ban from World Athletics - but were warned by Lord Coe that there is a 'long journey ahead' to rebuild trust amidst widespread doping violations.
There are currently 55 Kenyan athletes serving doping bans and there were serious fears in the East African country of a sanction that would suspend them from competition. Kenya is one of seven 'Category A' nations recognised by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to have the highest doping risk which threatens the integrity of the sport.
And former Boston Marathon champions Diana Kipyoeki and Lawrence Cherono are among the list of athletes provisionally suspended in the famed running nation's high-profile doping scandal. But fears of being completely banished, rather like Russia were after having their World Athletics membership stripped in 2015, have now been allayed.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has confirmed that Kenya have been given a reprieve following a World Athletics Council meeting in Rome on Wednesday. Coe believes that the promise of a robust response from Kenyan Sports Minister, Amina Mohamed, means that the AIU can now work alongside them to prevent further doping.
He revealed that the Kenyan government have pledged to spent $5million over a five-year period in anti-doping funding, with further doping tests and investigations set to be in place alongside extra educational programmes.
"World Athletics has been concerned," Coe said. "Kenya are on the watch list already and have been for some years. It is pretty clear that World Athletics take very seriously the escalating problem that has arisen in Kenya.
"Over the course of one year, 40% of all the positives recorded [in doping tests] in global athletics are in Kenya. This was not something the sport, and certainly not World Athletics, was prepared to sit and develop.
"All stakeholders internationally and domestically are now aligned to resolve this situation and I am pleased we have a united response. But my instinct tells me it will be a long journey."
Kenya's status as a 'Category A' federation means that their athletes must undergo at least three tests in the 10 months leading up to a major athletics event. The country has won 34 gold medals in athletics but its reputation has taken a huge hit during such a damning doping scandal.
As well as the 55 athletes currently banned, a further eight are provisionally suspended pending the outcomes of investigations. And former world javelin champion Julius Yego expressed concern last week that Kenyan athletics is on a path to 'nowhere'.
"Whoever is indulging in these drugs should be ashamed of himself or herself," Yego told BBC Sport Africa. "We should raise our voices and create awareness. If we do not speak up, then we are going [down] a very dangerous path. Then Kenya will be nowhere in athletics."
