The future of long distance runner Robert Kajuga looks bleak after he was handed a four-year ban by the Regional Anti-Doping Agency (RADO) for evading an out of competition drug test.

It’s a major setback for the 31-year-old long-distance track and road runner, whose career includes qualifying and competing in 10,000 metres at the 2012 London Olympic Games, where he finished 14th, an opportunity admired by upcoming youngsters.

The scandal however, should be a wakeup call to Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF), which has got to pay a great deal of attention to the issue of fighting the use of illegal substances. 

RAF’s reluctance to initiate strict domestic doping regulations means local athletes aren’t aware of drug tests or what is legal. 

In this regard, RAF secretary general, Johnson Rukundo, said, "Sensitization programs about doping tests are going to start to ensure local athletes are ready to be tested any time. 

"Kajuga’s case is more about ignorance than anything else. Some of our local athletes are ill-informed about the international doping rules and tests.”   

Interestingly, with a lot of young and upcoming talent, it means that the federation is not aware whether these are clean athletes.

While the regional anti-doping agency landed on Kajuga, which is the first case of its kind involving a Rwandan athlete, it is impossible for it to test all athletes, much less the ones who are making their way through the ranks locally.

Kajuga is affiliated to ‘Mountain Classic Athletics Club’; and in the wake of his ban, the club has moved to distance itself from the use of illegal substances, and is taking the case seriously, they say.

The Club president Theophille Mutuyeyezu has vowed to act tough on doping-related cases, "Action will be taken against any of our athletes, including Kajuga. 

We don’t tolerate cheating of any sort and we have informed the athletes that they risk expulsion from the club if they ever miss a test or test positive.”  

"The problem is that we don’t have resources to carry out sample tests on each of our athletes because it is expensive but we have always advised them against using them (illegal substances),” he opined.

It might be normal for athletes who dodge a test to say they were not aware but it is worthy pointing out that ignorance is an offence especially when it comes to the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA rules and regulations.

Two-time Olympian and long-distance female athlete EpiphanieNyirabarame thinks, "Avoiding a test is a violation of the rules, and there is no excuse for that. All athletes have to be tested to avoid cheating and the federation should fight doping to keep the sport clean.”

Meanwhile, WADA thinks the fight against drugs in sports is being severely hampered by a lack of willpower on the part of sports organizations and governments. 

The international body claims, sports leaders’ persist in denying that a problem exists and as result are refusing to contribute towards the cost of testing.

What is doping?

Basically, it means taking illegal substances to enhance your performance, there are several doping drugs classified by WADA for all federations to know, and the most common are stimulants and hormones. 

Doping is a major challenge to sports worldwide, as it not only threatens the integrity of sports but also puts the athletes’ health at risk. 

Yet one of the major and biggest challenges when it comes to issue of doping tests in Rwanda is the absence of a National Anti-Doping Agency.

Without on operational anti- doping agency, Rwanda and other EAC countries rely on the regional agencies like the RADO based in Nairobi, Kenya in order to test athletes for illegal substances on WADA’s behalf.

Blood tests carried out on Rwandan athletes in the country are taken to Europe because the regional agency has no lab facilities to carry out blood tests.

Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) vice president, Phophine Muhimpundu, who is in charge of doping at the national level says, "A panel of experts listened to Kajuga appeal and they wrote to him saying they will send him a reply.”

"The ban might be reduced because of his cooperation during the appeal,” she said, stressing that, activities to raise awareness is the key objective from the schools, coaches and at the grass root level.

How to fight doping in Rwanda?

Dr Emmanuel Nsengiyumva, the head of the Sports Medical Federation and a longtime advocate in fighting illegal drug use in sports believes Rwanda should be able to draw lessons from Kajuga’s sanction and the consequences of doping on the sport and the health of individual athletes.

"It is essential to declare war on doping through proper application of anti-doping laws which can be done by establishing a National Anti-Doping Body in the country,” he suggested.

Dr. Nsengiyumva adds, "Rwanda athletes are considered to be clean, if an athlete was nabbed using drugs or evading a test just like the recent incident, it raises suspicion.” 

"The main objective of the national anti-doping body is to fight illegal drugs and to carry out tests in sports. Laws have to be designed and outreach programs like awareness through education can be carried out,” he argues.

Rwanda was among the last eight countries to have registered with WADA two years ago.

Guy Rurangayire, the in charge of national teams at the Ministry of Sports and Culture, thinks, Kajuga should take responsibility and accept the punishment for his actions.

Kajuga’s reputation as Rwanda’s leading long-distance track and road athlete, is already at stake—missing a drug test raises doubts much as he claims to be clean.

How doping is a problem in the EAC region

Kajuga’s case is the first of the kind in the country but it comes after a spate of positive drug tests among the regional athletes and fresh allegations of corruption in neighbouring Kenya.

Kenya, the country of 43 million people always tops the medal table in international competitions, but today over 40 athletes have been banned by WADA for using illegal substances, according to Athletics Kenya. 

Doping has cast doubts on Kenya athletic longtime supremacy. The doping scandal is a very terrifying development in the run-up to this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

The situation is worrying in Ethiopia, another long-distance running powerhouse, where 13 athletes have been banned and others under investigation.

How bad can it be?

This year, Rwanda will be sending the biggest ever contingent for the first time to Rio Olympic Games.

The country has never won any medal at the games, though for the first time, four athletes have qualified through the internationally required standards.

However, in the wake of Kajuga’s ban, IAAF may decide to place Rwanda under its "watch list nations” just like it has done with Kenya, Ethiopia and Russia. 

In the worst case scenario, IAAF may simply bar Rwandan athletes from international events, the country from hosting IAAF-sanctioned competitions or ultimately barring Rwanda athletes from Olympic Games.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw