By Norman Katende

ORGANISERS of the MTN Marathon are confident that Sunday’s prestigious event will be drug-free. A team of World Anti Doping Association (WADA) officials is in the country to carry out tests of banned substances amongst the runners that will compete in tomorrow’s MTN Kampala Marathon.

The team, which includes a South African and two Kenyans, will be joined by three more assistants from Uganda, led by Dr. Ntenge Ssengendo to carry out tests amongst the elite runners.

According to MTN brand and sponsorship manager Aggrey Kagonyera, the doping machines were the first to arrive in the country mid this week, to ensure that the event gets the international status it deserves.

“IAAF rules require that doping be done in all their sanctioned events and that is why we and the national athletics federation have worked hard to see that these officials are in the country,” explained Kagonyera. MTN will spend about $20,000 (sh38m) on the officials.