TERRORISTS 10 USA 0: Kenya unhappy as the world's most powerful nation withdraws from Nairobi IAAF Youth championship over terrorism

Kenya is disappointed that the United States have withdrawn from the IAAF World Youth Championship to be held in Nairobi on July 12-16 citing insecurity and terrorism.

The US Department of State has given Kenya a crime and terrorism rating of ‘Critical’, the highest level possible, a rating on which USA Track and Field based their decision to pull out of the competition.

“Given the 'Critical' threat, the high cost associated with our teams’ increased security needs, and that the team would be composed of children, USATF will not select or travel a team to this event,” Flotrack.org, an athletics website, quotes USATF as saying.

But in a sharp rejoinder, Government spokesman Eric Kiraithe criticised the US for acting unilaterally.

“If they had concerns over insecurity or terrorism, they should have reached out to the Kenyan government. Terrorism is not a one-country problem. In any case Kenya has in the past hosted big events and never failed to secure them,” Kiraithe told The Standard.

USA joins Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland and Canada in withdrawing from the competition and further taking off the glitter from the event being held in Africa for the first time.

These countries are now likely to focus on Commonwealth Youth Games due on July 19-23, next year in Nassau, Bahamas 2017 which comes just a few days after the Nairobi competition.

Athletics powerhouse Jamaica, a member of Commonwealth, and Bahamas, the host of Commonwealth Youth Games, are likely to also pull out of the competition.

Fears abound that the championship could flounder. With the August 8 General Election, Kenya’s desire to host the last of IAAF premier youth competition may now take a battering.

Former Boston Marathon winner and member of Kenya's marathon team to Rio Summer Olympics Wesley Korir called for the cancellation of the championship, whose patron is Kenya’s First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, because of lack of competitive teams.

“I said it before, no team will risk sending their children to Kenya during the electioneering period. Kenya needs to swallow its pride and do what is right for the country; cancel the event,” Korir said following US's withdrawal.

The US withdrawal is a double blow for Kenya, which is already reeling from lack of adequate equipment and funding. Athletics Kenya Youth chairman Barnabas Korir admits the pullout has occasioned a big dent on the event.

“We are done for. I can assure you other countries like Jamaica will soon follow suit. AK regions are having camps, and I have not received a single penny for the camps. The people manning camps want to be paid and no single kid has received travel refunds,” said Korir.