British newspapers have reacted sharply to World Athletics’ decision to award the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, with several publications questioning the choice of Kenya amid ongoing doping concerns in the country’s athletics ranks.
The Kenyan capital was selected ahead of bids from London, Rome and Munich, becoming the first African city to host the championships.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described the decision as historic, saying it was the right moment to take the sport’s flagship event to Africa.
London Loss Sparks British Outcry
However, the decision has triggered criticism across sections of the British media, where London’s failed bid has been met with disappointment and, in some quarters, anger.
Several reports have focused heavily on Kenya’s anti-doping record, arguing that awarding the championships to Nairobi sends the wrong message at a time when the country is still battling the vice.
In The Telegraph, Chief Sports Reporter Jeremy Wilson highlighted concerns over doping in Kenyan athletics, noting that 136 Kenyan athletes are currently serving anti-doping bans and that 318 athletes from the country have been sanctioned since 2017.
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According to Wilson, the decision has caused concern among some athletes, coaches and agents, who questioned the message being sent by taking athletics’ biggest event outside the Olympics to a country facing such challenges.
The strongest criticism came from The Times, where Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Lawton argued in an opinion article that Nairobi should not have been awarded the championships at this stage.
Lawton acknowledged Kenya’s efforts to address doping but maintained that more time was needed to prove that reforms had taken root before entrusting the country with the sport’s premier event.
He noted that these cases have not been limited to distance runners using illicit means to close the gap on the very best.
Lawton argued that while Africa deserved to host the championships, Kenya’s reputation remained damaged by years of doping scandals involving some of the sport’s biggest names.
“That list of shame includes Olympic and world champions, as well as major marathon winners. Asbel Kiprop, the 2008 Olympic 1,500m gold medallist, is among them, as is Ruth Chepngetich, the women’s marathon world record holder who stunned the sport in Chicago in October 2024. Sadly, her mark of 2hr 9min 56sec still stands because her failed drug test came five months later,” Lawton stated.
Meanwhile, The Guardian‘s athletics correspondent Sean Ingle reported that members of London’s bid team were left extremely disappointed by the outcome after believing they had assembled a strong case backed by the UK government and the Mayor of London.
The report said London had been considered by many observers to be among the favourites to host the competition.
The newspaper noted that London’s bid enjoyed significant public funding support and was built around the success of previous events held at the London Stadium, including the 2017 World Championships.
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Adding to the criticism, the Daily Mail described the outcome as a “shock decision”, portraying the loss as an embarrassment for London’s bid team and political backers.
World Athletics Defends Nairobi Choice
World Athletics has defended its choice, insisting that Kenya has made significant progress in tackling doping and arguing that hosting the championships could further strengthen anti-doping efforts.
The governing body pointed to the Kenyan government’s annual funding commitment to anti-doping programs and said Nairobi’s selection would help shine a stronger spotlight on clean sport.
Coe said Nairobi had presented a compelling bid and that athletics was deeply woven into the fabric of Kenya.
He added that bringing the championships to Africa for the first time would leave a lasting legacy and help grow the sport globally.
Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Maurice Makoloo, also weighed in on the debate, rejecting suggestions that Kenya should be defined by its doping challenges.
Responding to criticism from sections of the British media, including comments by Matt Lawton of The Times, Makoloo said it was “unjustified and incorrect” to portray Kenya as a “doping country”.
He argued that Nairobi’s successful bid reflected Kenya’s long-standing contribution to global athletics and its capacity to stage major international events.
The envoy pointed to Kenya’s success at the Commonwealth Games, its dominance at the London Marathon and the enduring 800m world record set by David Rudisha at the London 2012 Olympics as evidence of the country’s athletics pedigree.
“Kenya has rightfully won the bid to host this event. Kenya, home to sports champions, has waited too long. It should not be denied its moment in the sun,” he said, adding that Kenya would deliver “a clean championship” in 2029.
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