“What they were doing was going to cause us a lot of embarrassment, it is the responsibility of every good citizen to uphold patriotism and spirit of national building, the troubles that our team faced in Rio were completely unnecessary”, the Kenyan sports minister told reporters Thursday.
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The blame game follows an embarrassing performance by Kenyan officials even as the country’s athletes clocked up their best Olympics yet with 13 medals (including six golds) putting them in 15th place overall, the best in Africa by far. Missing athletic kit, accreditation, and poor morale were also problems at the London Olympics in 2012.
If the International Olympic Committee views this as government interference, it might flex its muscles on Kenya, a decision that might affect athletes dependent on the its sponsorship like swimmer Tallisa Lanoe who represented the country in the Rio Games. The committee has to September 30 to report back to the minister, with any recommendations for action.
Kenya’s runners impressed at the Rio Olympics, but to the country’s shame its officials were equally distinguished when it came to corruption.
However, committee secretary FK Paul immediately said the ministry has no power over the committee and can not disband it. Enough is enough, we can not keep implementing the Sports Act with the perennial problem pulling us back.
Wario directed every sports federation to start working towards regaining Kenya’ s lost glory in the respective sports under the federations. It is a chance for you to put your house in order and realize there is law in town called the Sports Act.
NOCK’s secretary general, Francis K. Paul, was detained at Nairobi’s Muthaiga Police Station, according to the police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
“I don’t agree with that decision so of course I will contest it at the Sports Tribunal”.
Keino, 76, added that his team would challenge Wario’s version of events when they meet the probe team established to investigate their conduct.
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“Ours is not a government office and we will be in the office as usual tomorrow to carry out our mandated duties”, Paul told Xinhua.
