Problems in Kenya and Jamaica are set to be among the major topics discussed at the World Conference on Doping in Sport, which is due to start here on Tuesday (November 12).

Kenya's Government has been under pressure from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to carry out an internal investigation following the suspension of 17 athletes for drugs since January 2012.

Last month Rodney Swigelaar, director of WADA's Africa office, admitted the organisation "are very frustrated" by the slow progress.

Hussein Wario, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Art and Culture, claimed that they had been moving as quickly as possible to meet WADA's criteria.

"Forming such a committee is not an easy undertaking," he said.

"After all, we are still within time.

"We needed time to identify people to seat in the committee and as well make sure they are the right people.

"We were also not working alone on this.

"We have to also involve the office of the Attorney General.

"There are so many procedures to be observed."

The most high-profile Kenyan to test positive is Mathew Kisorio, fourth at the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federations World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbría, Spain.

He tested positive for anabolic steroids at the 2012 Kenyan Athletics Championships and admitted he had used drugs, claiming medical staff in Kenya had encouraged athletes to take them.

Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat (right), pictured here with International Association of Athletics Federations head Lamine Diack, has denied his country has a doping problem

But Isaiah Kiplagat, President of Athletics Kenya, has denied that the country has a major problem.

"I can assure everyone that the Government commission will start its work soon," he said. 

"We are hoping to start work before the WADA conference.

"I don't think there is really a problem with drugs in Kenya.

"All our top athletes were tested before London [2012] and then again before the World Championships in Moscow this year.

"Compared to other countries we do not have a serious problem.

"We don't want everybody to look at athletics as the only victim of this drug issue, there are so many sports in the country like rugby and football which is also affected by the same, that probe will have a bigger mandate."

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