One in three doping cases in Kenya linked to norandrosterone
July 04, 2025Norandrosterone accounts for nearly one-third of all confirmed doping violations in Kenya, making it the country’s most frequently sanctioned substance, according to data from the Anti-Doping Database (ADDB). The anabolic steroid metabolite appears in 97 of 304 total Kenyan cases, with 94 linked to track and field athletes.
The numbers reflect a narrow concentration of doping violations in both substance and sport. In contrast to countries with broader substance profiles, Kenya’s anti-doping record stands out for the dominance of norandrosterone in athletics.
High concentration in one discipline
Track and field accounts for 277 of Kenya’s 304 doping cases, or more than 91%. Bodybuilding follows with 14, while sports like swimming, boxing, and rugby register fewer than five cases each. Of the 97 norandrosterone cases, 94 were recorded in athletics — a 97% sport-specific overlap.
The remaining norandrosterone violations are scattered across bodybuilding, boxing, and other sports. Kenya has no confirmed norandrosterone cases in team sports like football or volleyball.
Norandrosterone is a metabolite of nandrolone, a potent anabolic agent banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. The substance is known to promote muscle growth and recovery, but carries significant health risks, including hormonal disruption, cardiovascular strain, and liver toxicity.
Comparison with India and global data
Globally, norandrosterone is the third most sanctioned anabolic substance, with 764 confirmed cases. Only stanozolol (1,329) and methandienone (809) rank higher. Sanctions for norandrosterone violations vary, but in 242 cases the result was a four-year suspension. Two-year bans remain the most frequent outcome (379), with a smaller number receiving eight-year or lifetime ineligibility.
India leads in absolute numbers of norandrosterone violations, with 137 confirmed cases. However, the substance represents just 13% of India’s 1,021 total doping cases. In Kenya, norandrosterone accounts for 32%, underscoring a higher proportional impact despite lower absolute numbers.
India’s doping profile is also more diverse, with stanozolol (240), methandienone (138), and nandrolone (104) topping the list. The country reports substantial cases across weightlifting (152), powerlifting (84), wrestling (70), and kabaddi (50), in addition to athletics (368).
In Kenya, norandrosterone tops the list of banned substances, followed by erythropoietin (28), testosterone (23), and a group of endogenous steroid metabolites such as 5α-adiol, 5β-adiol, and androsterone.
Sanction patterns align with global trend
Kenyan athletes found to have used norandrosterone have typically received two- or four-year bans, in line with global sanction patterns. While the ADDB does not include athlete names, sanction lengths are consistent with WADA guidelines for non-specified substances without therapeutic justification.
Kenya currently accounts for 12.7% of global norandrosterone cases, with an overwhelming majority in a single sport.