Tribunal knocks out boxing chief Kameta from Rio party

Boxing Association of Kenya President, John Kameta (centre) with boxers Rayton okwiri (left) and Nick Abaka on 30-10-2014.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) President John Kameta will not be part of Kenya’s contingent for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

This was after the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) board tossed out BAK’s appeal challenging his exclusion by the National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) as Kenya’s boxing team manager for Rio Olympics.

The ruling by SDT, yesterday, headed by John Ohaga, further directed BAK furnish the Tribunal and Nock with the name of the new team manager, latest today.

Part of the ruling reads: “This decision embodies the tribunal’s firm belief that proper governance is the bedrock on which this country’s future as a sporting nation lies. And it is the obligation of the officials entrusted with responsibility at every level to exhibit adherence to the requisite standards if they wish to find favour with the tribunal.”

Kameta, who assured that BAK, would give another name for the slot today, after a consultation meeting to be held by the federation this morning at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, blamed Chief de Mission for Team Kenya, Stephen Soi, for his exclusion and woes.

“When we were in London for the 2012 Olympics I differed with Soi on some management issues and that is where my predicament started. This is rather a personal issue than what is being presented all over,” Kameta said.

“It is sad that Nock sat in a meeting in 2013 and ruled that BAK would not be given the team manager’s slot for the Rio Olympics until the 2012 London Olympics report was filed but this was never communicated to either me or BAK,” a bitter Kameta said.

Kameta said Nock should not force things down the federation throats as it has done to BAK. Kenya will be represented in Rio by three boxers namely Benson Gicharu (bantam), Rayton Okwiri (welter) and Peter Mungai (light fly).