Send AK home now: Athletes petition Wario to crack the whip and kick Kiplagat out

Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat during unveiling of running numbers at Riadha House on 11-2-2015.PHOTO Dennis Okeyo

A group of retired athletes want Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario to disband Athletics Kenya immediately and form an interim committee to run the sport.

The athletes, who visited Wario in his office, have cited AK's inability to end internal wrangles and rising doping cases in the country as reason enough for the minister to act.

Led by two-time Boston marathon winner Moses Tanui and former World 800m champion Billy Konchella, they said the time was up for the AK executive to leave Riadha House since they were unable to serve the interests of active runners.

The move comes barely three weeks after Wario made it plain at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards gala, where AK President Isaiah Kiplagat was present, that he would crack the whip and disband the association should they fail to resolve their differences.

The athletes told Wario they were ready to take over the running of athletics in the country.

Former World Marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang, who is also chairman of the Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK), was the only active athlete in attendance.

Kipsang, also an Olympic marathon bronze medallist, said AK wrangles had subjected athletes to unnecessary suffering.

"As active athletes we need clearance to take part in international events and the disconnect in AK tends to affect us. That is why I stand in solidarity with the retired athletes. We need to see change quickly," he said.

Others present were Olympic and World champions Wilfred Bungei (800m), John Ngugi (5,000m), William Tanui (800m), Douglas Wakiihuri (marathon), Shem Kororia, Steven Ole Marai, Edwin Koech, triple World record holder Daniel Komen, Commonwealth Games champions Tecla Sang and Justin Chepchirchir, a former Africa 3,000m record holder.

"The entire AK executive needs to be replaced. We are ready to replace them because we believe we are capable of doing a better job than them. It is a pity that not even one retired athlete is in the AK executive," said Konchellah.

On the doping saga, which has tainted the Kenyan sports image, Konchellah said the association had failed to address it adequately.

"These are some of the issues we discussed with the minister but we are careful to do everything one step at a time. We want to ensure we do the right thing. The fact is that only two of the 16-branch chairmen are supporting the current executive. That tells you things are not good," he said.

Tanui, the 1991 World 10,000m champion, called on the Government to intervene and give direction on the way forward for athletics.

"We came here to meet the minister to discuss the way forward in terms of how to deal with the wrangles. There are many issues and the Government needs to step in and save the sport," he said.

He also confirmed that they had asked the minister to form an interim committee to take charge of athletics in the country.

Kiplagat has reigned in Athletics Kenya for over 21 years and the athletes believe he has nothing new to offer as the sport faces challenges in doping and sports science.

Regional AK chairmen have voiced their discomfort with Kiplagat and their efforts to eject him through a special general meeting have been derailed by a court injunction.