AP Exclusive: Rules bent to complete drug testing in Kenya

By John Leicester, Associated Press ELDORET, Kenya — From the moment the needle leaves the arm of an elite athlete in Kenya, the clock is ticking. The 3 milliliters, less than a teaspoon, of freshly collected rich, red blood offer potentially valuable intelligence about the extent of the doping crisis eating at the East African nation’s hard-earned reputation as a powerhouse of distance running. But the sample must be delivered to a laboratory quickly, within 36 hours, for testing. And that is a major problem, because Kenya has no capable lab of its own. The nearest one is thousands of kilometers (miles) away. Sometimes, rules are bent to get the job done.   In this July 10, 2008 file photo, urine samples are seen at the Drug Control Centre. AP Photo. The blood tube, sealed and signed for, is packed with others into a cool box to keep them refrigerated [...]