Kenya’s embattled track athletes can run at Olympics, officials say

A day after anti-doping authorities expressed serious doubts about drug testing in Kenya, the international track federation announced that the African nation’s track and field athletes will nonetheless be allowed to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The International Assn. of Athletic Federations said Friday that, for now, its only action will be to keep Kenya’s track program on a “monitoring list.”

“During the monitoring process … Kenyan athletes remain eligible to compete nationally and internationally,” the federation told the Associated Press.

Dozens of Kenyan athletes have tested positive for banned substances in recent years and, earlier this week, the World Anti-Doping Agency declared the country non-compliant with its international standards.

Though WADA oversees the worldwide anti-doping effort, federations for each sport have the authority to decide eligibility.

That means Kenya’s path to Rio de Janeiro appears wide open at the moment. But another country under the microscope is facing increased scrutiny for alleged cheating among athletes, coaches and officials.

Russia has vowed to make significant reforms in an attempt to restore eligibility to its banned track program. Recent news reports have alleged additional cheating at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

A Russian whistle-blower told the New York Times on Thursday that he was involved with helping athletes cheat on tests for banned substances by switching clean samples for tainted urine during those Games.