BADGE OF HONOUR: Munro and Mysa receive prestigious Play The Game Award

Mathare Youth Sports Association (Mysa) and its founder Bob Munro are the 2015 Play the Game Award winners.

Play the Game Award pays tribute to an individual or a group of persons who in their professional careers or as volunteers in sport have made an outstanding effort to strengthen the basic ethical values of sport.

Munro was in Aarhus, Denmark, on Wednesday to receive the award, a token appreciation for the outstanding work he has done for over 30 years to improve the lives of youngsters in Mathare slums.

In choosing Mysa and Munro for the award, Play the Game’s International Director Jens Sejer Andersen said: “MYSA has created a sustainable framework for the use of sport to promote social progress, environmental protection, education, individual self-esteem, team spirit, health protection including HIV/AIDS awareness – and, by the way, a successful professional football team, Mathare United.”

The award will come as a huge relief to Mysa, which in 2012 endured criticism for its handling of sexual harassment allegations and identity fraud within its rank a file.

At the time, Strømme Foundation put on hold their partnership with MYSA insisting that: “What has happened in MYSA strikes at the heart of that which Strømme Foundation wants to do something about – protecting the rights of the weakest.”

Strømme Foundation insisted then that: “The survey shows, unfortunately, that there is enough content in the charges. Yes, there is corruption in MYSA. Yes, there is identity fraud, yes, there is sexual harassment and assault,” in comments attributed to Secretary General of the Foundation, Øyvind Aadland.

But last week, Play the Game said: “We have asked ourselves one question: Are we convinced beyond any reasonable doubt, on the basis of the information we have access to, that MYSA’s leaders do every effort they possibly can to safeguard their members and secure that the policies and guidelines are carried out. Our answer is a resounding ‘yes’,” Jens Sejer Andersen said, before handing over the award to Bob Munro.

With the latest award, the 2012 storm appears over now for the organisation that has touched the lives of many a sports people in Kenya.

Previous winners of the biennial PTG award (2013) include, Richard W. Pound, IOC member and former WADA President, for his uncompromising efforts in the fight for a cleaner and more democratic sports movement.

Andrew Jennings and Jens Weinreich (2011) for their tireless work documenting and reporting on corruption in the world’s leading sports organisations.

Declan Hill (2009) for his ground-breaking research and documentation on match-fixing worldwide. Sandro Donati (2007) for his courage and determination in exposing doping and corruption in Italian and international sport.

— Additional reporting by Play The Game