Runners in Kaptagat in Kenya
All but one of Kenya's 35 Olympic gold medals have come in athletics

A government minister from the East African country urged the world athletics governing body not to ban the country for violating the rules.

55 of the nation's athletes have been suspended by the AIU due to a series of cases.

The World athletics council meeting in Rome next week is expected to discuss the situation in Kenya.

In a letter to Lord Coe, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts assured him of the government's commitment to uphold the integrity of athletics.

"We can't allow our nation to be banned because of the actions of some greedy unethical individuals."

Criminals and their syndicates will be targeted and dealt with harshly. We need to eradicate the use of drugs in sports and athletics.

Athletes from the seven countries that are considered a 'Category A' federation have to undergo at least three tests in the 10 months prior to a major event to be able to compete there.

Russia and India have the most athletes serving bans.

untainted athletes were allowed to compete under a neutral flag until the country's invasion of Ukraine in February, when all athletes, support personnel and officials from the country were banned.

  • Doping puts Kenyan athletics on 'road to nowhere'

A total of 17 athletes from the country have been disciplined by the AIU this year, with eight of them suspended and awaiting the outcome of their cases.

The reputation of the East African country, which has won 34 of its 35 Olympic gold medals in track and field events, would be devastated by an overarching ban by World Athletics and the AIU.

TheNOC-K welcomed the government's intervention and said it would continue supporting "all efforts and actions as a partner in dismantling all systems and avenues that perpetuate the vice of drug use in athletics"

The country built an "illustrious history" in the sport and is not ready to sacrifice it due to the greed of a few actors, according to a statement from the body.

"We join our voice in pleading with World athletics and other parties to refrain from imposing a ban and consider the efforts of the community, led by the government, as a positive sign and contribution towards a zero-doping environment in the country," Paul Ter said.

Eliud Kipchoge, a two-time Olympic champion and marathon world record holder, believes that clean sport is the way to go in the future.

The ministry of youth affairs, sports and the arts said that they are committed to ending the drug menace.

We need to defeat the people who are involved in drug use. The government is focused on this because it is a serious concern.

It is being treated as a matter of top strategic national interests.