The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has provisionally suspended five more footballers from the Kenya Premier League (KPL), in addition to Rooney Onyango, who plies his trade in Norway, bringing the total number of footballers on its list to six.
In a statement on Saturday, ADAK maintained its position, pointing to unprofessionalism not only among the suspended KPL footballers but also among sportsmen and women in general.
“The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has provisionally suspended several Kenyan footballers for whereabouts failures. The players affected are Benson Omala and John Njuguna of Nairobi United, Charles Ouma of Kenya Police FC, Bonphas Munyasa of KCB, and former Bandari FC striker Johanna Mwita,” the statement read in part.
“These players are expected to stop competing immediately. If they continue to play before a final ruling, any sanctions, including potential bans, will be applied from the date the decision is issued, with their suspension officially starting at that time,” it continued.
Harambee Stars defender Rooney Onyango was the first to be suspended by ADAK, despite playing in the Norwegian second-tier football league, over a whereabouts failure—something ADAK Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peninah Wahome told Radio Generation on Saturday was a result of ignorance.
“It is the responsibility of any athlete to notify us where he or she is. It doesn’t matter—rules are rules. They will be followed to the letter,” a stern Wahome assured.
The suspension means the footballers are temporarily barred from participating in matches, training, or any official football activity until the matter is determined. Under anti-doping rules, a whereabouts failure occurs when an athlete records three missed tests and/or filing failures within a 12-month period.
ADAK CEO Wahome also emphasized on Radio Generation that athletes in the registered testing pool are required to submit quarterly whereabouts details through the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS).
A filing failure can arise from not submitting the required information by the stipulated deadlines—March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31—or from providing incomplete or inaccurate details.
A missed test occurs when an athlete is unavailable during a designated 60-minute testing window or provides incorrect location information.
Accumulating three such violations within a year constitutes an anti-doping rule breach and may result in sanctions, including suspension from competition.
