If you thought athletics is the only sport grappling with doping, then you are wrong.
Three Kenyan musclemen among them 2015 Mr Kenya Michael Otieno Obuya have been banned by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) after failing dope tests.
Otieno, an elder brother to former Mr Kenya Meshack Ochieng, who is plying his professional bodybuilding trade in the United States, has been banned for two years after he tested positive to prohibited methylhexanamine.
Otieno has been serving the ban since May 5, 2018 and will resume competition on May 5, 2020.
Female bodybuilder Sheetal Jayendra Kotak, who won the women’s category during the 2015 Mr. Kenya Championships, and Arnold Ragos Sanya, a son to legendary muscleman Mickey Ragos, have also been sanctioned for two years each.
Kotak used banned Norandrosterone, Noretiocholanolone and Metenolone and her ban was effected from January 17, 2018 to January 17, 2020.
Sanya, who was found culpable for using prohibited substance cannabinoids and 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is serving from December 11, 2018 to December 11, 2020.
“It means we are also serious in bodybuilding since we must advocate for a cleaner amateur sport,” said Kenya Bodybuilding Federation (KBBF) chairman Chris Omedo.
“Most musclemen skipped last year’s Mr Kenya owing to the stringent doping tests. We rather do with the few who are clean than risk the game,” explained Omedo, saying they are going to encourage out-of-competition test for musclemen.