In a first in Kenya’s sports history, the organising Committee of the World Rally Championship Candidate Event Safari Rally will carry out random doping tests for officials and drivers as per the Federation Du Internationale I’Automoble (FIA) doping rules.
For the drivers, the rules will be followed to the letter, Deputy Clerk of Course George Mwangi said in Nairobi on Friday.
Doctors will be going for stuff that dull the nerves and brains like cannabis sativa and alcoholic beverages.
Mwangi said it will be in- and- out -of -competition.
One will be picked from the crowd and chaperoned to doping centre where a doctor will test them and if need be demand more samples from officials.
The FIA is a member of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and competitors are no exception.
The chaperone will be required to keep person under observation at all times following notification until the end of the sample collection session
According to the FIA anti-doping rules a driver caught doping will lose points and prizes at the competition in which they tested positive.
In addition, the culprit will be slapped with a four years, or even lifetime suspension in some case from Motorsport activities including training and other participation.
Kenya will host the 2019 Safari rally World Rally Championship (WRC) candidate event that also serves as the 4th round of the African Rally Championship.
The event will kick off at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Friday 5th July and conclude on Sunday 7th of July in Naivasha, 50 kilometers from Nairobi.
Some of the top drivers enlisted this year’s event hails from Italy, Belgium, UK Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
JK/as/APA