Social, Economic and Systemic Pressures Contributing to the Rise of Doping Among Athletes in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya's celebrated dominance in middle- and long-distance running has been severely jeopardized by a sustained and dramatic rise in doping cases, necessitating a deeper understanding of the crisis beyond individual moral failure. The objective of this paper review was to systematically synthesize existing empirica literature to understand how social, economic and systemic pressures create a pro-doping ecosystem that compels vulnerable Kenyan athletes to cheat. The study was guided by the Rational Choice Theory (RCT), which models doping as a calculated risk where the immense financial utility outweighs the perceived costs due to economic pressure and systemic enforcement gaps and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which explains how social pressures from coaches and peers influence an athlete's intention to dope by shaping subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed articles, dissertations and official reports from anti-doping organizations. Data was extracted, assessed for quality and subjected to a thematic analysis. The synthesis reveals that doping is structurally embedded, driven by a cycle of immense pressure. Economic vulnerability is the primary driver, where the promise of wealth through athletic success is often the only route out of poverty. This demand is enabled by social pressures, characterized by the normalization of doping within peer groups and the malignant influence and exploitation by Athlete Support Personnel (ASP), such as coaches and agents. These factors are allowed to flourish due to systemic deficiencies, including widespread knowledge deficits, weak supply chain controls and inconsistent regulatory enforcement. This convergence of pressures forms an ecosystem that overrides existing anti-doping efforts. The paper concludes that doping is a structural crisis requiring systemic, not just punitive, solutions. Authorities must shift strategy to mitigate economic vulnerability through welfare funds and career planning, strengthen oversight by licensing all ASP and enhance intelligence-led enforcement against the supply chain.