Athletes risk stiff jail terms, large fines under draft Kenyan anti-doping bill

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Kenyan athletes, sports officials and medics face up to three years in jail or heavy fines if convicting of doping offences under a draft law to be submitted to parliament, according to the official who has overseen the bill. Follows are its main points:- * Anyone found in possession of, stocking or distributing prohibited substances will be liable for a fine of at least 1 million shillings ($9,832.84) or three years in jail. Their business premises will be closed for a year, the draft law said. * Anyone who defies a summons, refuses to comply with orders of the anti-doping agency or gives false information to it will be liable for a fine of at least 3 million shillings or at least three years, or both, and forfeiture of their trading licence. * Any person participating in recreational sports in a gym, fitness centre, private club who uses or is found in possession of banned substances will be liable for a fine of at least 100,000 shillings or imprisonment of at least one year, or both. * Any person or body who unlawfully transports or transfers prohibited substances within or outside Kenya, or stocks or supplies them, will be fined at least 3 million shillings or face at least three years in jail. * Healthcare practitioners who prescribe, administer, dispense, acquire, stock, aid, abet or in any way encourage unlawful use of prohibited substances in sports will be fined at least 3 million shillings or jailed for three years, or both, and will have their professional licenses revoked for one year. * Registered sports bodies not in compliance with anti-doping regulations will lose government funding or be forced to refund public funds granted during their period of non-compliance period. They could also be de-registered by the Sports Registrar. * Athletes, coaches and technical staff who violate anti-doping rules could be suspended for at least four years; technical staff will be banned for life. Any ban will apply globally. (Editing by George Obulutsa and Jon Boyle)