Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya puts Tong-IL Moo-Do international martial arts participants on notice

Jacquline Muli from Dog Section Unit Club display katas during the Kenya Tong-il Moo-Do Team championship at he Mama Ngina Drive, December 18, 2016. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya has put participants in this year’s Mombasa Open Tong-IL Moo-Do international martial arts on notice.

The agency says the players should refrain from doping, saying it could ruin their sporting careers or worse, land then in jail. The event starts tomorrow.

Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) Education and Research Director Agness Mandu said the agency would not hesitate to crack down on doping, adding that athletes should steer clear off illicit substances.

Mandu was speaking after conducting a sensitisation forum for hundreds of Mombasa athletes at the Best Western Resort Beach ahead of the championships to be held at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa.

ADAK will monitor the championships to ensure participants are free from any substance use.

“It’s very important to exercise discipline in any sport. Doping is a threat to our sports but we will not allow this to happen in martial arts or any other sport,” said Mandu.

“Kenya has fallen prey to doping but we insist that we will not hesitate to continue championing for anti-doping,” added Mandu while flanked by Kenya Tong-IL Moo-Do Federation president, Clarence Mwakio.

About 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests in the past four years.

Among the top-ranking athletes who are facing doping bans are three-time Boston City Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo and sprinters Francisca Koki and Joy Zachary, who were picked out during the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Also in attendance at the training was World Tong-IL Moo-Do Secretary General Takamitsu Hoshiko, who updated participants on the state of the game that began in 1979.