Kenya is an athletics powerhouse, particularly in long and middle-distance running, and topped the medals table at the 2015 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Beijing.

The country, however, has regularly been tainted with drugs problems.

Around 40 athletes from the country have tested positive for banned drugs since 2012, including three-times Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo, who failed for erythropoietin in 2014.

A new law criminalising doping has been introduced in the country, which was declared non-compliant by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in May to put participation at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August in jeopardy.

WADA said Kenya were in breach of anti-doping rules before the situation was resolved in time for Rio 2016.

Gebrselassie said last month that the EAF will start imposing lifetime bans on drug cheats as it strives to restore credibility in the wake of recent doping issues.

The two-time Olympic 10,000 metres gold medallist is now keen to help Ethiopia’s neighbours Kenya tackle the problem.

"There is no shortcut," Gebrselassie was reported as saying by Capital FM Sport. 

"Kenya and Ethiopia have to fight doping because if we ignore it, at the end of the day the loser will be Kenya and Ethiopia.

"We don’t have a chance to get those medicines, its foreigners who bring them to destroy our sport.

"I ask all sports people and the Kenyan Government let us work together and fight for our innocent athletes.

"My Government have criminalised doping and one will serve up to five years in prison which is very important.

"It’s not about winning medals, but it’s about protecting the next generation."

David Rudisha, the two-time Olympic 800m gold medallist, claims, however, that some drugs are administered to athletes without their knowledge.

"I don’t agree entirely with Haile because most of these athletes usually do not dope knowingly," he told Capital FM Sport.

"Of course there are those who take performance-enhancing drugs in full knowledge, but there are those athletes who take pills for medicinal purposes without knowing they might contain banned substances.

"It’s tricky because the standard ban should be around four years though it differs between Federations.

"But banning an athlete entirely without looking at the background would be unfair.

"If it is found the athlete doped knowingly, then it is another case.

"But it should not be a blanket rule."

It was confirmed earlier this month that Kenyan athletes will have to be vetted in the future by an approved group of doctors. 

The newly-created Kenya Doctors Network (KDN) will be mandatory for any elite athletes hoping to compete for the country.

According to Kenyan newspaper the Daily Nation, a pool of 109 athletes has been drawn up to use the KDN, while five doctors have been "tentatively" selected.

Gebrselassie was speaking in Nairobi at Kenya’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards, initiated by former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat in 2004.

"During our time, Gebrselassie and I competed fairly when there were no underhand dealings and when sport was sport," Tergat, who finished second to Gebrselassie in the Olympic 10,000m at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, said.

Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot was crowned the Sports Personality of the Year for 2016.

At the age of 33, she is due to make her marathon debut in London on April 23.