Kenya president signs doping law to avoid WADA sanctions

FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 file photo, Kenyan athletes train just after dawn, in Kaptagat Forest in western Kenya. Kenya’s sports minister said Tuesday, April 19, 2016 that a long-awaited anti-doping law has been passed by the country’s parliament and now only needs to be signed by the president - legislation that must be in place by May 2 to beat a final deadline set by the World Anti-Doping Agency. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) (The Associated Press)

En esta foto de archivo del 31 de enero de 2016, atletas corren frente a un letrero de la federación de atletismo de Kenia en Eldoret, Kenia. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) (The Associated Press)

NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed a long awaited anti-doping bill, a move which will likely help the country avoid sanctions from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Kenyatta signed the bill into law on Friday, the final step to implementing the legislation after it was passed by lawmakers on Tuesday. Kenya has a final deadline of May 2 to make improvements to its anti-doping program and avoid being declared non-compliant with WADA's global code.

The anti-doping law was the most problematic of the reforms for Kenya, which had already missed two WADA deadlines.

Kenyatta said the law was "the continuation, not the end, of our efforts to stand against cheating and corruption in the sporting and athletics arena."

Since the 2012 London Olympics, 40 Kenyan athletes have been banned for doping.