OLYMPICS BOSSES BASHED AT FORUM: Constituent sports bodies criticise Nock top brass

Athletics
By ERICK OCHIENG' | Aug 30, 2016
Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and the Arts Dr Hassan Wario address leaders of Sports Federations over NOCK on the handling and mismanagement of Rio Olympics at Kasarani Stadium on Monday, August 29, 2016. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Sports associations that make up the National Olympic Committee of Kenya have censured the body’s top leadership concerning the Rio Olympics fiasco.

In an open forum held at Kasarani Stadium Gymnasium and attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario, but minus any officials from Nock as three were in court yesterday, all the associations heaped blame on the Olympics body for the mess.

Pius Ochieng, FK Paul and Stephen Soi are facing court proceedings over myriad claims.

Athletics Kenya (AK) tore into Nock while narrating how the latter kept them in the dark concerning preparations toward the Olympics games. Jackson Tuwei, the AK president, told the gathering that Nock never furnished his federation with news on team selections, team kits or travel logistics to and from Rio.

“It is a shame that some athletes had to buy their own tickets to Rio. Others like Eliud Kipchoge had to find their own way to the village after arriving in Brazil,” said Tuwei.

The AK boss suggested that proper investigations should be carried out and those implicated should face the law, adding that Kenya was already on the International Association of Athletics Federations and World Anti-Doping Agency radars; being on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) watch list as well would be too much for the country.

Without mincing words, Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) President John Kameta said Nock should be streamlined with immediate effect. He said he was a victim of Nock’s disorganisation.

“I urge the minister to move fast and arrest the situation. If anything happens and IOC bans us, it will put the country in an awkward position in the sports world,” said Kameta.

Kenya National Paralympics Committee representative Elyna Shiveka suggested that the minister should ensure that Nock’s constitution was aligned with the Sports Act 2013 to provide a level playing ground for all, especially during Nock elections.

Shiveka took issues with other federation heads, saying there was no point in staying silent when the fiasco was all over.

“The ball is in our court. It is high time we as federations reacted to help the country find a solution to this situation even if it means calling for a special general meeting to oust those implicated in the mess, or helping to develop new constitution for Nock,” he said.

Kenya Judo Association (KJA) representative Duncan Chemiryo claimed the selection of athletes to represent Kenya in Rio was “purely an individual affair”.

Sport Kenya chairman Fred Muteti said he was ready to demonstrate leadership in the streamlining of Nock.

Wario was urged to act fast to save Kenya ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He said he was grateful to hear the views and pledged that all the resolutions would be implemented.

“I promise to get to the bottom of this. The mess will be cleaned up,” said Wario.

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