IOC SHOULD ATTEND NOCK MEETING: Boxing, Table Tennis want observer from Olympic body

From Left-Founder SOYA Awards Paul Tergat, suspended Chairman NOCK Kipchoge Keino, NOCK Legal officer Sharad Rao and David Mereka of Mereka advocates during NOCK meeting at Hotel Panari on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

The Boxing Association of Kenya wants the International Olympic Committee to send an observer on Tuesday to a crucial meeting in Nairobi “to get a clearer picture of the crisis hit National Olympic Committee of Kenya.”

In one of a flurry of letters from affiliate federations, each either in support of Nock Executive or against, the boxing association said only IOC representative will report the true proceedings.

The beleaguered Nock Executive abruptly adjourned a Special General Meeting on February 28 after a majority of affiliate federations declined to subject to a vote the proposed new Constitution.

It is feared the new Constitution, which IOC has approved and directed that the Kenyan Olympic body “adopts without alteration and further delay” could trigger the end of the reign of several Executive Committee members.

“It is important for IOC to send an observer for Tuesday’s meeting so that IOC can be in clearer position of the happenings at the meeting,” Boxing Association president John Kameta says in the letter to Jerome Poivey, Head of institutional Relations and Governance at IOC.

“If this is not done and from past experience and incidents, Nock will continue to feed everyone including IOC with lies.”

While the document has received the support of pro-change Nock affiliates, it has rubbed the wrong way the incumbents, most of who have ongoing cases in Kenyan Courts over handling of Team Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Yesterday, the NOCK Secretary General FK Paul wrote to IOC scoffing at pro-change advocates’ letter to the international Olympic body that the Special General Meeting on Tuesday was “prematurely adjourned.”

In their letter to IOC, the beleaguered Nock Executive wrote, “It is no longer a hidden secret and a fact that these elements (pro-change affiliate federations) are only interested in taking over the leadership of Nock and not the interest of the Olympic movement.” In the letter FKF Paul says: “As an Executive Board of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya we want to categorically state that we do respect and take seriously advices given to us by the International Olympic Committee.” In separate letters to IOC, a faction of wrangling Tae Kwon Do Association threw its weight behind Nock accusing pro-change affiliates led by Kenya Table Tennis Association of stalling the Constitutional process.

“NOC-K called the matter in question to vote and Mr Mudibo (KTTA chairman) and his colleagues sensing defeat, refused to participate in the voting,” the letter signed by Philip Khaemba reads.

Khaemba added: “We urge you (IOC) to allow democracy and operations of law take its cause. We all would like a negotiated document that is progressive and long term and not bend the law so as to hurry passing a document such as a constitution simply because a selfish individual is in a hurry to get into NOC-K leadership.”

KTTA chairman Andrew Mudibo said it was sad Nock Executive says some members were not consulted and are not privy to what was said regarding the draft constitution.

“This is an admission and confirmation that NOCK has run with the process from October until now without the involvement of this people mentioned, not forgetting that the process was being driven by Nock as per the IOC directive passed in Lausanne.”

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