IOC ASKS KEINO TO CALL FOR POLLS: Current Nock office now expected to be in place until elections are held in December

 

Deputy President William Ruto and National Olympic Commitee Kenya (NOCK) President Kipchoge Keino at Tom Jobim International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. Mr Ruto said that his presence in Rio means that Kenyans stand with their team. PICTURE REBECCA NDUKU/DPPS

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya will hold elections under a new constitution before December 31.

This according to Friday’s tripartite meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland between representatives from the International Olympic Committee, Nock and the Kenyan Government.

In a meeting attended by a Kipchoge Keino-led Nock and a delegation from the Ministry of Sports, headed by Dr Hassan Wario Arero, IOC ordered its Kenyan affiliate to convene an Extraordinary General Assembly in accordance with the current constitution and Olympic Charter to address and solve issues raised over mismanagement of Team Kenya at the Rio Olympics.

This comes barely a week after local federations held a meeting where an interim committee was put in place with Kenya Volleyball Federation chairman Waithaka Kioni elected as the chairman following the ‘disbandment’ of the under-fire Kipchoge Keino-led office.

The caretaker committee’s mandate is to review Nock’s constitution and organise elections before December 31. But following the Lausanne resolutions, it means, the current leadership will temporarily remain in office until elections are conducted.

“The meeting was extremely constructive and, through fruitful and open dialogue, allowed for all parties to better understand the situation and clarify any misunderstanding which may have caused the current issues,” read part of the joint statement issued by IOC.

“In addition, all parties appreciated the excellent results of the Kenyan delegation and athletes at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and recognised the need to resolve the current situation in the interests of sport and the athletes in Kenya.”

The meeting further resolved that Nock will report on the outcomes of the joint meeting in Lausanne with the December elections expected to be held under the full supervision of the IOC, in close coordination with Nock and the government.

It was also agreed that Nock’s constitution be reviewed and the proposed amendments submitted to the IOC for approval in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

But according to the global body, the process leading to Nock’s quadrennial elections must be agreed to by all member federations at the General Assembly.

“All parties will work hand in hand to implement this process in good faith and to ensure sustainable cooperation between Nock (including all national federations) and the Government of Kenya for the benefit of sport and the athletes, with the full support of the international sports organisations concerned,” explained the statement.