Share

Coe ready to ban Kenya from Rio

London - Kenya's athletics team could be banned from the Rio Olympics if their federation is found to be non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, according to IAAF president Sebastian Coe.

Coe has confirmed he will severely punish any country guilty of attempting to cover up doping, after Kenya last week missed a deadline to prove to WADA they were doing enough to combat drug-taking.

"We know that a disproportionate amount of reputational damage is caused by a relatively few countries and we have to be much more proactive," Coe told BT Sport's the Clare Balding Show on Wednesday night.

"Yes, if it means pulling them out of World Championships or Olympic Games then we will have to do that.

"I know the World Anti-Doping Agency has looked very closely at the Kenyan National Anti-Doping Agency. We, of course, monitor that through the IAAF, so that work is on-going."

Russia were suspended from world athletics in November for state-sponsored doping, but are aiming to prove they have made the requisite changes before the Rio Games.

With the scandal deepening, two-time Olympic champion Coe admits his own reputation may now be on the line.

"When you look at the horror show that has unfolded in the last six months, year or so, the question we all have to ask ourselves - and I'm not immune from that, I ask myself this every day - is how on earth did we get to this position?" he said.

"The guiding principle for me is to get the right people with the right motives in the sport, and by a distance they are there. We've just got to elevate them now."

Nestle and adidas have both tried to end sponsorship deals with the IAAF, which has vowed to keep the companies on side.

"They want to know what changes I am prepared to make," Coe added.

"Am I serious about that? Yes, I am. Is it the only thing I'm focused on? Yes. Will we get those in place as quickly as we can? Yes, we will.

"But they have boards of shareholders, they have corporate governances themselves, so they are asking the right questions and a large part of my waking hours is flying around the world explaining to them why it is my intention to never return to this again."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Manchester United 0
Sheffield United 0
loading... Live
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
AFC Bournemouth 1
loading... Live
Everton 1
Liverpool 0
loading... Live
Crystal Palace 0
Newcastle United 0
loading... Live
Lions 106/2
Titans RSA 131/9
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
58% - 7 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
42% - 5 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE