Five more athletes in doping test

Domestic national anti-doping organisation ex-officio, Oscar Kanjala, has revealed that five more athletes are awaiting results of their tests.

Kanjala said this last Thursday when asked about results of footballers Bongani Kayipa (Mighty Wanderers) and Douglas Chirambo (Big Bullets), who told The Nation that they were cleared.

The Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) president could not reveal identities of the additional athletes, only saying they are runners and netballers.

“We tested five the last time. The only problem with doping is that we do not disclose when and where we do it. We also only speak out about the results when there is an anti-doping violation and we impose sanctions,” Kanjala insisted.

“It is a requirement by every country that they follow these rules and that is why we have our own team doing the tests. We started actively two years ago. But our athletes can also be subjected to the tests by other organisations,” he said.

Kanjala could not say how Malawi sports ranks in doping offences, but noted that since the tests started, no local athlete has been found positive of using banned substances.

“We do our own intelligence before the testing. We do not do it anyhow because it is expensive,” Kanjala said about the work of the testing team that includes sports doctor Matthews Mangondo.

Netball Association of Malawi president Rosy Chinunda said she was not aware of netballers taken for such tests.

The membership to the national anti-doping comprises Sports Council, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Unesco.