Athletes threaten to boycott training because of unpaid allowances and kits

Abraham Kibiwott and Amos Kirui leads in the 3000m SC men final race during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games athletics trials at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi on February 17, 2018. Kibiwott won with a time of 8:27.8. [Stafford Ondego/www.sportpicha.com]

Kenyan athletes to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have threatened to boycott training because of unpaid allowances and incomplete kits.

There was a stand-off yesterday between the athletes heading to the games in Australia next month and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) officials.

The problem of kitting and non-payment of allowances is legendary in Kenya and the stand-off involving the athletics team, which makes up the bulk of Team Kenya, only raises the ghosts of yesteryear.

Some officials who led Team Kenya to the 2016 Rio Olympics are in court facing charges of stealing kits meant for the athletes. A raid on the home of one of the officials recovered boxes of shoes, tracksuits, and bags.

Chase them away

Not even the reassurance of Nock President Paul Tergat or Athletics Kenya boss Jackson Tuwei could calm down the athletes.

“This time round we will not allow ourselves to be taken in circles by Nock,” an athlete who declined to be named told Standard Sports.

“Last Saturday, Nock President (Tergat) brought kits here and handed them to our team manager. But in that bag, many items were missing and they wanted us to sign against them, promising that we would be given the missing items when we come back. We uniformly said no,” the athlete said.

Another athlete added: “We have met and decided that if Nock brings incomplete kits here, we are going to chase them away and tomorrow (today), we will march to the Nock office to demand our allowances and kits.”

The Cabinet secretary for Sports, Rashid Echesa, was expected to visit the athletes camping at Milele Hotel in Nairobi West, but did not show up. Tergat arrived at the camp last evening to try to quell the unrest. He blamed the problem on the previous office and delayed elections.

“We are issuing the kits as we receive them. We are trying to give our team the best. Some of these problems we inherited from the previous regime but will soon clear them. We are working with the ministry to make sure all allowances are cleared by Friday,” Tergat said.

Tuwei said they were willing to work with Nock to find a solution.

“It’s not the first time this is happening. I hope they address the issue of allowances, but we can help with the issue of running spikes,” said Tuwei.

The track and field teams have been in residential training for the past three weeks.