"What we now need is not action against the Kenyan flag but against criminal elements and individuals that are involved in doping," Namwamba told Kenyan media at his Maktaba Kuu office accompanied by Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei.

"Kenya needs support to end doping and not suspension or ban."

As reported by Nation Africa, Namwamba repeated his statement from last week in which he announced increased funding of Sh619 million (£4.2 million/$5.05 million/€4.90 million) annually for a period of five years in the fight against doping.

And he revealed that the country’s security apparatus was zeroing in on a doping ring that has been involved in the increased number of cases in the country.

Namwamba said that during his communication with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe in the past few weeks he had reiterated Kenya’s firm stand on zero tolerance against doping.

"The message was that even though we have numerous doping cases reported, it is not state-sponsored. 

"In Kenya, the state is at the forefront of fighting doping and not like the case with countries like Russia," said Namwamba.

The Athletics Interity Unit (AIU) is due to give a report to the Council which is expected to reference the situation in Kenya. 

Kenya is one of seven "Category A" nations deemed by the AIU to have the highest doping risk and threaten the overall integrity of the sport.

At least 55 Kenya athletes are serving bans with a further eight provisionally suspended, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Diana Kipyokei and Lawrence Cherono, both former Boston Marathon winners, are among the high-profile Kenyan athletes currently banned.

According to some Kenyan media reports, the possibility of a long suspension of Kenyan athletes from international competitions has been considered, perhaps for two or more years, which would mean them missing next year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Namwamba said World Athletics would see increased activities and deployment of resources to the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and Athletics Kenya in testing, investigation and enforcement across the whole spectrum of taking decisive action against doping.

Tuwei said Kenya has achieved a lot in its battle against doping with the formation of ADAK in 2016 and a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-approved testing laboratory in Nairobi in September 2018.

"Testing is expensive but the increased funding will escalate the war on doping with more athletes joining both AIU and ADAK testing pools," said Tuwei.

Other key items being considered by the Council include the latest report on efforts to return the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) to international competition, with the latest report due from Rune Andersen, chair of the Task Force established to oversee the process following RusAF’s suspension in November 2015 following revelations of organised doping.